In Thade We Trust
by veiledndarkness
Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals. Or so we would believe.
1. Chapter 1

Title: In Thade We Trust

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Leo blinked slowly as he stepped closer to the statue. His mind racing, mouth suddenly dry, and his heart beating far too fast, he shook his head as the face of the statue loomed over him.

"It can't be...what...what the hell!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the stone walls.

The sound of sirens brought his attention back to the stairs where his crashed pod was. He ran over to the top stair, his fingers twitching as he wished for the hundredth time that he still had a weapon.

"What now..." he groaned as he saw the bodies of the police officers moving faster than he thought possible towards him. Leo felt the first flickers of panic as he realized that the officers, who were running at him, their guns pointing at his head, weren't human. He saw the tufts of fur, the sloping brows and let out a pained growl.

"No, no" he muttered as they descended on him, his arms behind his back before he could blink; the cold snap of metal around his wrists. He began to struggle, kicking his legs out desperately. One strong backhand to the head sent him reeling into unconsciousness.

The crowd around the now comatose body parted as one of the chief officers walked up to the arresting officer. His eyes hard and unflinching, he leaned towards the officer.

"How long since you got here?"

The officer nodded. "Two minutes. He tried to get loose, we cuffed him."

The chief officer kicked at the prone body before him. "Get him into the ambulance now. The damn reporters will be here any second."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Leo sluggishly opened his eyes against the too bright lights of the room. He squinted as he tried to look around. The dull throb in the back of his head began to flare with pain right at the moment that someone walked through the door. Leo tensed as the chimpanzee came closer to him, his hands opening and closing. He tried to move backwards, only to find that his hands were still cuffed. He backed into the corner of the small room, his eyes already searching for an escape.

"Easy there little fella. It's ok now," he said softly while taking slow steps towards Leo.

Leo snarled at him, and hurled his body to the side, attempting to run past the chimp for the door. The doctor sighed sadly as he took a small metal stick from the pocket of his lab coat and pressed the top two buttons. Leo's eyes bulged out in pain as he hit the ground, his wrists screaming in pain from the electric shock that traveled through his body.

The chimp leaned over him and looked him in the eye. "Now, don't try that again please."

He held up the metal stick. "I really hate using this, but I will if you don't behave."

Leo glanced at the chimp then at the stick. He was silent for a moment, afraid to move, to speak. 'So brave hmm?' his mind sneered at him.

The chimp put the stick back into his pocket before leaning down and hauling Leo back up in one smooth movement. He dragged him back over to the corner and dropped him unceremoniously on the floor. Leo rested his head on the wall, warily watching the chimp's every move.

For ten minutes he watched as the chimp filled out various forms, using stamps for approvals before putting his pen down. He looked over at Leo and rubbed his chin.

"Hmm, I don't know if you know what I'm saying. Previous experiments indicate that you humans have the ability to talk. Whether or not you're listening is not really of any importance. I suppose. I'm Doctor Naira. I'll be with you most of the time," he said as he flipped through a few pages.

Leo stared vacantly back at the doctor, his mind working fast to figure out what the hell was happening. He began to stiffen again when the doctor came close to him. He suppressed a shudder at the feel of the strong, wiry fingers on his chin. A flashback of Thade yelling down into his mouth hit him like a slap. He tried to yank his head away, only to find it useless as Doctor Naira had a firm grip on him.

"Settle down Boy. I'm only checking your vitals," the doctor snapped impatiently.

He shined a light in Leo's eyes, checked his ears and throat. He turned to the side, mumbling to himself as he jotted a few lines down. Leo let his body go limp as the doctor checked him over. He was deeply afraid to try the doctor's patience again.

'Play dead now, and find a way out later' he repeated to himself as the doctor hefted him like a sack of beans onto the examining table.

He squirmed at the cold metal that bit into his chafed skin, his arms uncomfortably cuffed behind him. The chimp doctor looked over at him and was about to berate him for not lying still when he saw that Leo's arms were locked. He made a 'tsk' sound and grabbed a pair of keys off a hook on the wall. He unlocked Leo's arms and nodded at him.

Dr. Naira moved from the side of the table to a counter that had several tools laid out. Leo felt his heart rate triple as he recognized some of the tools. He began to struggle to get off the table, his limbs moving far too slowly and clumsily for him to get far. The doctor grabbed him with one hairy hand and yanked him back to the table with a thud.

"You humans are all the same! Trying to escape for Thade's sake! Where do you think you're going to go, honestly?" he yelled while placing Leo's hands into restraints.

Leo bit his lip, hard enough to make it bleed. He wanted to scream, to cry, and to rip the cruel doctor's hands off. He watched through a brave façade as the doctor came close to him, a long, sharp needle glinting in the light in his hand. The doctor jabbed it into his arm with a smirk.

"You really must learn. Apes have always been superior to you humans. Fighting us is useless..." the voice above him trailed off as Leo felt his eyelids growing heavier, the urge to sleep washing over him with promises of taking the pain away.

Doctor Naira watched Leo until he fell asleep. He walked back over to his desk and picked up the phone on it. He sat back in his chair, one eyes still on the troublesome human. He barked an order into the phone, his fingers drumming restlessly while he listened to the hold music.

A voice came back on the line. "Doctor Naira, what do you have for us?" a smooth voice drawled out.

Naira rolled his eyes. "Come down and see for yourself, Senator. I've got the human that they found on the Thade Memorial. He's a fighter this one, I had to sedate him. Perhaps it's for the best."

The senator chuckled, his dry laugh an irritating sound to the doctor. "I'm sure."

Naira hung up the phone with a disgusted sigh. He was not one for politics and held little regard for those who were. He eyed the sleeping human and mentally went over what experiments he conduct next.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Leo moaned once as he felt a sharp pinch in his side. Panic flooded in as the memories of everything that had happened rushed at him. He tried to sit up, only to find himself strapped down.

"No" he grunted fiercely, tugging uselessly at his restraints. He pulled as hard as he could for several minutes before giving up and lying back on the table, panting helplessly.

"God damn it!" he yelled, his voice hoarse and strained. "I'm not an animal"

He gasped as his eyes took in the scene around him. He was in what looked to be similar to an operating theater. He could see the rows of wide empty seats above the operating area. He breathed in small gasps; the urge to scream was back. He looked around the room, deeply grateful that his head was not restrained.

He smelled rubbing alcohol in the air. On the table closest to his head, he spotted a few scalpels that still had traces of blood on them. 'My blood' he thought, horror running across his face. He gagged weakly.

'What have they done?' he thought frantically. Leo tried to lift his body forward some more to see if any part of him was missing. He quickly flexed each leg and hand, breathing a quick sigh of relief at each limb that moved when he commanded it. He slowly ran his eyes over his chest and made a faint whimpering sound at the sheer number of small surgical cuts that were on his chest. They ran all over, varying in length and width.

Leo laid his head down, pain and exhaustion making him feel faint. He heard voices behind him, just out of his sight. He craned his head, noticing for the first time that his arms were strapped down to the table, straight out from his sides. 'I look like I've been crucified,' he thought with a near hysterical laugh on his lips.

He then observed that his legs were also strapped down and spread wide open, his naked body visible for anyone to see. He closed his eyes, desperately wishing for help when he felt a furry hand land on his shoulder. He jerked lightly in his bonds.

Naira stood over him, a blank look on his face. He turned to the other chimps in the room and nodded at them.

"He's ready to be moved. Take him to Testing Room 2a. Wait for my command."

One of the larger chimps stepped forward and pressed a button on the wall nearest him. A near silent gong echoed through the hallways. Naira busied himself with straightening up the tools, dropping them in a cleaning fluid solution. He observed Leo, who was doing his best not to draw attention to himself.

While the other chimps were discussing their findings with each other, Naira leaned in close to Leo and smoothed one hand over his forehead. He crouched down as if to pick up a dropped piece of equipment and whispered in Leo's ear.

"I'm sorry Boy. The tests must continue. I'll be back to get you later this evening."

He stood up abruptly and left the room. Leo cracked one eye open. He shivered in the coldness of the room, feeling lonely and truly scared for the first time since he was a child.

A pair of large gorillas marched into the room, their eyes forward, not once resting on the operating table despite their curiosity at the sight of the human. A chimp doctor stepped forward and addressed them.

"Take it to Testing Room 2a and hurry up. No gawking!" he snapped at the guards.

The gorillas moved as one when they went to Leo, un-strapping him from the table. Before Leo could even think about moving, he was scooped up like a puppy and carried down the hallway. He shivered violently in the cool air that filled the halls. He was dropped into an all white room on a softly tiled floor.

Leo cried out as he hit the ground, his abused body still stiff and sore. He flipped off the departing guards, hiding a smirk at their confused faces. He stood up slowly, using the wall for support as he made his way around the small room.

'Nothing. Nothing at all. No windows, nothing sharp' he thought with a sigh.

He sat in one corner, his body tight with anticipation. After what seemed like an eternity, Leo heard a small hissing sound. He scanned the room, guessing vainly where the noise was coming from. A grey fog began to fill the room sending Leo into another burst of action. He began to beat on the door with both fists, hammering frantically as the fog descended on him.

Coughing harshly, he collapsed to the floor. He curled into a ball, tucking his head as far down as it would go. He breathed shallowly. The hissing sound stopped, leaving the fog behind. Try as he might, Leo found himself breathing in more of the fog. It burned his throat as it went down. He gagged and choked on it, clawing at his throat as he gasped. Darkness blurred over his eyes.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Leo cracked one eye open groggily. He moaned faintly as the room spun, his stomach loudly growling, and a gnawing hunger that made him queasy. He opened his other eye slowly, the bright lights blinding him. He could hear the doctor's speaking to each other quietly, their words flowing over him as if he wasn't there.

'Of course they are; you don't matter to them. Are you even really here?' his mind taunted him, the words cutting deeply. He shuffled to the side of the bars around him, his body still hunched protectively over. He bleakly observed the steel cage he was in.

'No more bamboo cages I guess. Huh, guess they've evolved' he thought, a dark smile on his face.

He waited for something, anything to happen. He struggled to ignore his empty stomach. Leo calmed himself by counting backwards from a hundred while waiting for the scientist's and doctors to notice him. Their words reached him as they came closer to his cage.

"He's shown great resistance to the suffocation fog. He did pass out but only after lasting much longer than the first subjects. He was still fighting to break free long after the others would have lost consciousness. And the healing! He's already scabbing from the cuts yesterday..." the voice trailed off as they passed by the cage.

Leo shook his head slowly. A whole day had passed! He thought longingly of Ari while he tried to ignore the speculative way that the new groups of scientists were staring at him now. One of them stepped forward, his head cocked curiously as he studied Leo.

He moved closer to the cage, one foot after the other, approaching Leo as though he would break through the bars and grab him. When his hands touched the bars, he spoke with a low murmur.

"Come here, c'mon, I won't hurt you. That's a good boy, come closer," he cooed softly.

Leo frowned. Did they think he was a dog? He stared up at the chimp in front of him, his eyes angry at the way they talked to him. 'Bastards' he snarled silently.

The scientist quirked his head at the doctor nearby. "Give me a banana," he said out of the corner of his mouth.

The doctor tossed him a banana from the tray. He cautiously slipped his hand through one of the spaces between the bars, offering it to Leo.

Leo was torn. His stomach rumbled threateningly at the sight of the food before him, but his pride was screaming at him not to take the offered fruit. He shook his head once, ignoring the mental threats he heard.

The scientist waved it encouragingly. "You've got to be hungry by now, little guy. Don't be silly, come eat the nice banana. You want the nice banana right? C'mon, little closer."

Leo gazed at the chimp with such contempt in his eyes. He eyed the group behind the first one. The door was still wide open. He spotted a pen in the top pocket of the coat that the chimp in front of him wore. In seconds he was up and had grabbed the chimp's arm, knocking the banana to the side.

The element of surprise was on Leo's side, he was still strong enough to grab the pen and hold it dangerously close to the chimp's eye. The other chimps gasped in horror. One slipped off to the side, and pressed an alarm button on the wall. Leo pushed harder, bringing one of the captive arms up higher to the middle of his back. The chimp made a squealing sound as pain spread like wildfire through his limb. He could see the pen hovering close to his eye and felt queasy as the image of a severed eyeball flashed in front of him.

"Let me go, or I'll kill him," Leo rasped, his throat raw still from the fog.

The chimps gasped again as they heard the first words from him. At that moment, several of the gorillas burst into the room, the alarm in the hallway clanging loudly. Before Leo could blink, he had one of the gorilla's arms around him in a bruising grip. He dropped the chimp in front of him as a scream of pain was dragged out of him. One of the chimps had whipped a needle out of seemingly nowhere and plunged it in his arm.

Leo sagged limply against the gorilla that held him. He fought weakly against the new, stronger chains that were placed around his wrists and tied to the side bars. He slumped over in the cage, his head racked with pain, falling into a troubled light sleep, passing in and out of consciousness as the hours ticked by.

When he next awoke completely, he saw Dr. Naira checking over a lab report on the desk next to his cage. He let out an involuntary groan of pain and hunger, wincing as he realized that this had drawn the doctor's attention. Dr. Naira glanced over at him and chuckled softly.

"Well you certainly have a way of making yourself known, I'll give you that," he said as he swiveled the chair closer to Leo's cage. Leo stared back at him defiantly.

"Now, I know you understand me Boy. Escaping is just not going to happen. And the sooner you accept that, the better off you'll be. It's not everyday that a human crash lands on one of the most important memorials in our country. They aren't going to let you go, so fighting is pointless," Naira said, his voice grave and serious.

Leo blinked away angry tears. The last thing he wanted was to cry in front of the chimp. He curled up, facing away from Naira. He didn't want to look at his captor. The doctor sighed. He stood up, popping his back with a long groan. He walked over to Leo's cage and pushed the banana closer to him.

"In case you decide to stop being stubborn," he said, not really expecting a reply.

Leo remained silent, his teeth clenched tightly with rage. The doctor opened the small dog flap at the bottom of his cage and pushed a bowl of water in. He watched Leo try to stop his shoulders from shaking.

Dr. Naira grabbed a few sheets and tossed them into a file folder. He hesitated a moment before turning back to Leo. He cleared his throat as though he were about to say something, then thought better of it and left the room silently.

Leo shivered in the cold air, still naked and chained to the wall of his cage. He let a few heated tears slip down his cheeks in the stillness of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: In Thade We Trust – Pt 2

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

oooo

Dr. Naira passed many of the other scientists and doctors on the way to his rooms. He carefully kept his face blank as he walked. He fought to hold back an angry frown as he recalled the treatment of the human today. He swiped his pass card in front of his door sensor, letting the door slam shut behind him. He tossed his folder on the nearby desk and headed straight for the small kitchen. He poured a glass of cold water and drank it slowly as he mulled over the findings.

Naira was more than annoyed at how unnecessarily rough the gorillas had been with the human. It went against his beliefs to be overly forceful with the subjects. They certainly weren't going to get better results if the humans were too afraid of their owners.

He sat down at his desk and ran one paw over his head. He rubbed at his eyes tiredly. He was not looking forward to having to deal with the senator in the morning or for that matter, with the senator's headstrong daughter, Ari.

Ari had openly protested human testing, and was doing her best to have all human testing labs shut down. Her latest protest rally had almost successfully resulted in stricter laws regarding the treatment of the humans. Naira snorted at that. He was most positive that her father had more than a little to do with the final decision to keep things just the way they were.

He flipped open his folder and read over the results from the DNA test. He made small noises of approval as he compared the results with that of the first male human that they had come across, almost twenty years before this new one. As he'd suspected, the chromosome information matched up on the more basic levels. He jotted down a few notes in the margins of his papers as he scanned through the info. The next round of tests would be far more invasive than something as simple as a choking fog. He tapped his pencil idly while briefing himself with the procedure dosages.

Naira stood up and flicked his desk lamp off. He made for his bed, still troubled by the look of betrayal on the human's face.

oooo

Hours after Dr. Naira had left; Leo finally gave in to his desperate hunger. He ate the banana as slowly as he could, wanting desperately to make it last. He sipped at the still cool water in the bowl. His chained arms made it difficult to move and even hold the bowl. He made do by lowering his head and lapping at the water much the way a dog would.

Leo sat back; his arms slightly raised above him and studied his cage. The steel bars were thicker than one of his wrists. He sighed softly as the realization that he might very well spend the rest of his days in this cage, began to sink in. He wanted to cry. Instead, he bit down hard on his lip till it bled to distract himself from his self-pity.

"I will not give in. I will not give up," he chanted, the words barely audible over the humming of the machines nearby. He closed his eyes and practiced the meditation techniques that he had once scoffed at when they'd been offered on the station.

Leo drifted in and out of sleep, ignoring the various scientists who came in and out of the room. They weren't paying much attention to him and for that he found a sense of relief.

It was short-lived.

Leo had searched in vain for a clock, beginning to feel disoriented by the fact that he had no idea how many days had passed since he'd been captured. A sudden hush fell over the room, the doctors looking agitated and the scientists nervous. Leo peered through the bars, straining for a glimpse of what had upset them.

Leo listened hard as he heard the sound of shouting in the hallway outside the lab.

"…can't possibly expect me to believe that this human is not being mistreated! I know all too well what happens in these labs Dr. Naira. And know this; I will have you shut down, no matter how long it takes."

Leo smiled to himself. The strong, feminine voice reminded him strongly of Ari. He scooted back a tiny bit, struggling to keep the circulation in his arms. He turned his head sideways so that he could keep an eye on the chimps. His jaw dropped when he saw the female chimp walk into the room.

She continued to shout over her shoulder as she walked at a brisk pace over to Leo's cage. She read over the chart that was next to his cage before dropping it on the table in disgust.

"Dr. Naira, I do believe that this has gone on long enough. When will it become clear to a scientist of your standing and intellect, that this 'studying' as you call it is nothing more than a chance to destroy what little understanding we have of other cultures?" she said, each word clipped and pronounced with anger.

Leo stared up at her, blinking rapidly. "Ari?" he said, his voice still hoarse from the fog.

Ari turned to face Leo, her mouth falling open in shock. "He can speak?" she breathed.

Dr. Naira stood beside her and shook his head sadly. "It is not in his best interest to speak," he said softly, so that only Ari could hear him.

Ari leaned closer to the cage, ignoring the protests of her father behind her. Leo pushed his sore arms forward so that he could scoot closer to the front of the cage. They stared at each other in silence.

"How did you know my name?" she asked.

Leo held back a wave of disappointment. "Coincidence I guess," he muttered as he swallowed over the large lump in his throat. She looked him over carefully before spinning around and facing the crowd that watched her.

"If I come back here and find this human suffering at all, I will have this facility closed faster than you can blink!" she snapped before jerking her head towards Dr. Naira, who followed right behind her as the Senator left the room to speak with one of the government officials.

Ari looked up and down the hallway, ensuring that they were alone. "Why is it not a good thing that he can speak?" she whispered.

Dr. Naira sighed. "Because it means much more invasive testing, that's why. Very few humans have ever uttered any words in our presence."

Ari crossed her arms angrily. "Are you telling me that you are going to continue conducting these experiments?" she asked, her voice dropping lower.

Naira nodded once. "I've no choice Ari, you must understand that. My hands are tied so to speak. If not from me, then some other will be brought in, one who has no qualms about cutting open a human while he's awake."

Ari winced. She's heard the horror stories of tests that had supposedly occurred in the facility over the years. She hung her head.

"I suppose that's the best you can do then."

Naira placed one hand on her shoulder. "If I could free him tomorrow I would. It would mean death for all three of us, not just the human. There are far too many unanswered questions about this one, and believe me, these tests are just the beginning."

Ari blinked back tears of defeat. She nodded her head sharply and let out a long breath.

"Let me know of his progress. I will want to speak to him to ensure that he's not being harmed."

Dr. Naira frowned. "I will inform you of his progress, but the bosses will not let you communicate directly with him. Surely you know this Ari?"

Ari gave him a dirty look. "I'm aware. It seems I was mistaken in my beliefs about you Doctor. I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for."

With that, she turned on one foot and left the hallway, her stride strong and unmistakable. Dr. Naira sighed once more before heading back into the lab. He dropped into the chair beside Leo's cage and frowned.

"That Ari is going to be the death of me," he grumbled.

Leo cocked his head to one side and half chuckled, a rusty, grating sound.

"Better you than me," he said.

The doctor looked over at Leo before rolling his eyes. "I would advise you not to speak unless absolutely necessary, especially around the others."

Leo stayed silent as he watched the doctor putter around the room until he came back towards the cage with another needle. Leo was horrified to hear a small whimper come out of his mouth as the needle was injected into his arm.

The doctor looked over at him and for just a moment, Leo was sure that he saw true pity in the doctor's eyes. Leo closed his eyes, the sedative already beginning to kick in.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: In Thade We Trust – part 3

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

oooo

Dr. Naira tapped the side of the table with one long finger as he waited for the human to slip into a deep sleep. He stared at the eyes that twitched beneath the eyelids. He really did feel badly about having to put the human under each time he had to do more tests.

Naira frowned as he scanned over his messages. More pointless arguments for the restraint of humans in testing, the usual debate over the ethics involved. Naira rolled his eyes as he tossed the papers back down. A new group of humans had been found on the outskirts of the city limits. More than half had died en route to the facility. Naira snorted. He knew there was a good chance that those humans hadn't died of natural causes.

After glancing at his watch, Naira slipped on a pair of gloves. He switched on his recorder and began speaking in his monotone voice, giving the date and time. He threw a quick look at the door to make sure it was closed before he began to line up a series of needles on the tray beside him.

He expertly injected each needle in various pulse points on the human's body, ignoring the slightly sick feeling that he always got when doing some of the more painful experiments. The cloudy mist in each of the needles trickled out, Naira's eye closely watching for any sudden movements from the human. He counted the seconds out loud.

oooo

Leo felt like he was swimming through a sea of ink. 'Water...was it water...the liquid' he decided as he floated along was so thick, his eyes blind to seeing what was moving in front of him. He choked as he sucked back mouthfuls of the black water, his brain going into a panic as he thrashed desperately towards the surface.

A flash of light stung his eyes as he began twisting violently in his restraints, coughing and gasping as vile, yellowish water seeped out of his mouth. He began to shout, hoarse cries as his stomach lining rebelled against the invading liquid.

He felt his body flipped over and he violently threw up bits of the banana that he had so carefully eaten. He was flipped back over again, this time on another metal table. He winced as the cold metal made him shiver. He opened his eyes to narrow slits.

Dr. Naira loomed over him, his face carefully blank. He passed a small bowl of water to Leo after helping him to sit up slightly. Leo took the water, his hands trembling as he tried to bring the bowl to his mouth. He snarled in frustration as most of the water spilled over the edges. Dr. Naira took the bowl from his shaky hands and guided it to Leo's mouth.

Leo opened his mouth reluctantly. He closed his eyes as the cool water slid down his throat. He gulped it greedily, wanting more. Dr. Naira pulled back, the bowl going with him. Leo made a sound like a pained groan.

"Too much water will just upset you more Boy. Lie back now," Naira said.

Leo laid back, his stiff muscles protesting about the cold air. He shivered a few times as he watched Naira clean up his vomit. The doctor looked over at him to make sure that he didn't try to bolt off the table. He pulled one of his rolling chairs close by the table and sat down on it. It was then that he noticed how badly Leo was shivering.

"Are you cold then?" he asked. Leo shrugged as he looked around the room, taking in the medical equipment and comparing it to what he could recall seeing in the space station.

Naira sighed deeply. "Being stubborn with me will not get you far, Boy," he said as he walked over to one of the small cabinets along the wall. He pulled out a large grey blanket and brought it over to Leo.

He wrapped it around Leo before sitting back down and waiting.

Leo pulled the blanket tightly around him, feeling the warmth almost immediately. He discretely sniffed the blanket and found the scent oddly calming. He looked over at the doctor and tried for a smile.

"Thank you," he whispered.

The doctor nodded. He studied the way the human moved and how he wrapped the blanket around his body, covering as much skin as possible. He scratched his head idly while arranging his thoughts.

"I must apologize. I had forgotten that humans have far less hair on their bodies. I hope that blanket helps."

Leo tried to shrug again. "It's alright."

Naira and Leo locked eyes again, both unsure of what to say. Finally Naira leaned forward and propped his chin on his hands. He watched Leo watching him.

"I'm sorry that things had to be this way. I would like to get to know you, to make things easier, perhaps for the both of us," he said softly.

Leo grunted. "Like I have a choice?"

Naira shook his head. "Trust me Boy; you are much safer here with me than with some of the other doctors. As I said, being difficult will result in much pain and suffering for you. I would strongly advise that you behave yourself with me. I would not like to see you suffer."

"Suffer more than I already have you mean?" he snapped.

Dr. Naira sat back on his chair, blinking slowly. "You must know that there's little I can do for you aside from providing some small comforts. I'll not sugarcoat this Boy; I must do the tests on you. We so rarely get the chance to do tests on a human as evolved as you. Most are far below your capabilities, and for that we must experiment. If you fight me, you'll only be making your situation worse."

"Some of those who work with me would love nothing more than to have another human corpse to prod. They are masochists and do not care much for your feelings. You are not an equal. You are just a lab animal to them."

Leo dropped his head to his knees as the doctor's words began to sink in. He blinked back a few angry tears before peering at the doctor from the side.

"Let me go then," he whispered. "Please, help me."

Dr. Naira heaved a sigh, louder than before. "You know I can't."

Leo eyed the doctor fully this time and felt queasy at the conflicting emotions on the chimp's face. He saw the guilt and the curiosity. He made to jump off the table and run for the door. He only made it halfway before an electric volt passed through his body. He shook and shuddered as Naira pulled him back from the door.

A loud scream burst from his lips as he was placed back inside his cage. He shook the bars angrily, yelling hoarsely as the doctor locked the door. He yelled again as the doctor came towards him, a sad frown on his face.

Leo stopped shouting for a second as he watched the doctor come closer. Dr. Naira placed several bowls in the cage through the metal slot, before slipping Leo's forgotten blanket through the bars.

"I am sorry Boy. In time you'll understand," Dr. Naira said.

Leo grabbed the blanket from the doctor roughly. He wrapped it around himself hurriedly, not wanting to be naked in front of the Naira again. He gave the doctor a dirty look as he curled up further from the cage door.

The doctor sat down on the chair by the desk and began filling out the blood paperwork forms.

"My name is Leo." Dr. Naira heard the quiet rasp from the human. He nodded and returned to his paperwork.

oooo

Leo played with the bars for awhile, pushing his fingers back and forth as the time ticked by. He sighed softly. His eyes wandered over to the bowls that Naira had left behind. He pulled one of them closer. It was filled with a bizarre mash of food that somewhat resembled porridge with bits of fruit in it. A further search told him that the other bowl held more cold water and the third was empty. It was larger than the others with a lid attached to it. He stared blankly at it until understanding dawned on him. It was to be his toilet.

Leo winced at the thought of having to use the bowl for a toilet. He supposed that he should have been more outraged. Instead all he felt was a numbing thankfulness that Naira had thought of him at all. He flexed his shoulders experimentally, again thankful that Naira had not chained him back up. Leo pulled the bowl with the food in it closer to him.

He scooped up a bit with his hand and sniffed it. It even smelled a bit like porridge. Leo cautiously brought the handful to his tongue and tasted it. He smiled a bit. It tasted faintly of honey. He ate slowly, afraid to eat too quickly. After eating half the amount, he sipped from the water bowl. Feeling somewhat more content, he re-wrapped his blanket closer around him and curled up in the corner of the cage again. He closed his eyes and slept lightly.

oooo

When Leo awoke next, he saw Dr. Naira speaking with several of the larger gorillas. Leo flinched back instinctively in his cage when one of the gorillas took a step towards him.

Leo watched fearfully as Naira spoke with just two of them now. The other two were heading over to him. One gorilla stared down at him before reaching down and poking one hand through the top cage bars. He smiled faintly as he looked at Leo. He turned to the other gorilla.

"He looks scared," he said.

"Wouldn't you be?" the other gorilla shrugged carelessly.

"Maybe he's just lonely?" the first one insisted. He lifted the latch to the cage, one eye on the doctor and the other on Leo.

"C'mere little guy," he crooned as he stuck a finger back in the cage close to Leo's hair.

Leo scowled up at him. He contemplated biting the bastard's finger and then decided against it. The doctor's words floated in his mind. He feared what the others might do to him. Instead, he just made a snorting sound and ducked back from the meaty finger that moved back and forth above his head.

The first gorilla pulled the door further and reached inside. He yanked on the blanket that covered Leo and grinned. He elbowed the second gorilla beside him and laughed softly, so as not to draw the attention of the doctor.

"Look! He's bare! Why do you suppose he's got none?" he giggled. The second gorilla sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Close the damn door already!" he whispered fiercely.

At that moment, Leo saw the hairy arm moving closer to him. He panicked and started making a loud groaning sound. Dr. Naira wheeled around to see what was happening.

Within seconds, the cage door was slammed shut and the gorilla who had been trying to reach him was being lectured. He was dismissed a moment later. Dr. Naira sent him to the detention center with a note for the head guard there.

Naira stood by his cage and frowned. Leo stared up at him defiantly. "What?" he snapped.

"I apologize for what just happened. I'll not let something like that happen again."

Dr. Naira turned and went back to the small cabinet by the wall. He pulled out a second, large grey blanket and passed it through the bars to Leo.

Leo took it and laid it down on the hard metal of the cage. He wrapped the second one as tight as possible around himself before he curled up again. Dr. Naira crouched down by the side of the cage and reached through the bars. Leo flinched a second time, expecting to be slapped. The doctor ran his fingers over the short hair on Leo's head. He made a 'hmm' sound as he felt the hairs.

He then stood and left the room, dimming the lights slightly. Leo watched the door for a long time before he felt comfortable enough to relax into his nest of blankets.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: In Thade We Trust – part 4

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

oooo

Dr. Naira stood in the doorway of the senator's office, impatiently tapping one foot as he waited to be acknowledged. The senator was speaking with several of the human rights protestors, doing his best to not show how flustered he was by the commotion in his office. Naira held back a laugh. He supposed it wouldn't be appropriate for him to laugh at the senator's misfortune of having made far too many promises that he'd had no intention of following through on.

He tapped his files against his side as Ari slapped her hands down on her father's desk in exasperation. Naira bit down the inside of his cheek as the urge to chuckle grew stronger.

"Father, I've just returned from the production fields with the most appalling news," she said.

Senator Sandar rubbed the side of his forehead wearily. "For the love of Thade, would you please give me five minutes of peace from your ceaseless rants about the humans!" he snapped.

Ari's eyes flashed angrily. Naira bit down harder on his cheek as he watched her toss her folder of information down onto the desk blotter. She ripped it open and spread out several glossy black and white photographs in a semi-circle.

"There, take a good, long look at this Father! These photos were taken just this morning. The humans were beaten for falling down. One had his spine snapped in half for daring to try and help a fallen worker. This must stop. I cannot stand by and watch you approve the new groups of humans for the fields," she said, her voice low and dripping with venom.

Sandar picked up one of the photos closest to him and winced. The black and white coloring did nothing for the grimace of agony on the human boy's face. The blood, and muscle tissue made his stomach flop, his breakfast fast rising in his stomach. He put the picture down and frowned at the other activists.

"Ari, may I speak with you a moment?" he asked carefully. "Alone?" he added, nodding his head at the other chimps. She stared at him for a second before nodding her head sharply at the others.

They filed out of the room, shooting nasty looks at Naira as they passed by. His white coat gave him away, and in their opinion, he was worse than someone who merely signed the paperwork, someone such as Sandar. Naira gave them his best blank stare. He didn't care for their opinions, though Ari's scathing criticisms of his work did leave him feeling regretful that he wasn't able to do more to help the humans.

Naira stepped further into the room, seemingly unnoticed by the Sandar or by Ari. He shuffled through his paperwork, attempting to appear as though he wasn't listening.

"Ari, you know that my hands are quite literally tied in these situations. There is very little that I can do to change the plight of the humans," he said, his voice striving to sound reasonable.

Ari rolled her eyes. "You could try supplying more funding to the activists. Perhaps spreading the word that you don't approve of the harsher punishments that are doled out on the prisoners…" she ticked off on one hand.

"Workers," Sandar interrupted. "They are called workers."

"Workers are not killed for emotions and empathy Father, surely you would know that," she shot back.

Sandar dropped his head in his hands and rubbed small circles on the either sides of his forehead. "It is not as simple as you would believe it to be Ari. I do not wish harm to the humans but I also cannot simply let them wander the streets because you don't approve of their treatment. This is the way things are. The humans are important for testing, you know this! How else would we be able to tell if medications for ourselves work if not for testing?" he said.

"You do not need humans for the experiments and for the testing of medicinal products. We have developed the technology to do these things without the cruel and most often unnecessary experimentations on the humans we find," Ari countered back.

Dr. Naira took that moment to step closer to the debate. "Senator Sandar, I'm afraid my support also lies with Ari. I do have computer technology that allows me to simulate the results for most tests. The experiments with the humans are not as important as the other doctors and scientists would have you believe. They only want to understand why the difference has occurred and why the humans seem somewhat similar to the other apes."

"If you feel you must take the high and noble route Naira, then you would be the first in line to turn in your research and waste the rest of your life protesting something that is not going to change. Revolution will not happen overnight!" Sandar said, slamming his fist down angrily.

Ari sucked in a breath. "You believe my life to have been wasted then?" she asked quietly.

Sandar swore under his breath. "Ari, that wasn't what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" she asked as she left the room.

Sandar sat back heavily in his chair. He glanced up at Naira and waved his hand lazily.

"Well what news do you have for me now?"

Naira opened his folder and tried his best to keep a smirk off his face.

"The human is far more evolved than the most recent groups that we found outside the city limits. He has shown elementary speech development, and a moderate pain tolerance. He can heal in a remarkably fast amount of time."

He paused in his readings as he looked down at the senator. He cleared his throat somewhat nervously.

"I would like to expand the tests that I'm currently working on with the human. He seems far more intelligent and I would like to explore that. With your permission of course," he said, fighting hard now to keep the nasty smirk off his lips.

Whether the senator approved him or not, he would find a way to keep the testing going. Naira waited silently for a response. After a few minutes of internal debate, Sandar nodded and smiled at him.

"You may continue the testing. I expect weekly reports on the human's progress."

Dr. Naira gave the senator a grim smile. "Of course, sir. Eventually I hope to have the human moved to a better environment. It would help me to explore if the environment has an impact on the human's life span."

Sandar made a 'hmm' sound before signing the paperwork that Naira had laid out in front of him.

Naira backed up and tucked the paperwork back into his file folder. "Will you be by sometime this week for a viewing?" he asked, his face neutral.

"This week? No, I have many other pressing issues to attend to. I will be there around the middle of next week," Sandar said.

Dr. Naira blinked. He hadn't expected that Sandar would give him so much time to work with Leo. "Right, well I must head back to the lab now. Good evening Senator."

He closed the door behind him, finally allowing himself to let his smirk show. He shuddered as he walked down the hallway. Oh Thade, how he hated politics.

oooo

Leo blinked drowsily when the door slammed shut. The slam had woken him from a lovely dream. He frowned as he saw the bars around him. A dream of freedom. He scowled at the thought.

He watched with interest as Dr. Naira muttered to himself, putting objects down too hard before sitting in his chair and rolling over to Leo's cage. Naira ran his fingers through the fur on his head.

"Rough day?" Leo muttered, with a grin tugging at his lips.

Naira gave Leo a nasty look. "Your smart mouth will bring you pain around the wrong people, Boy."

At the look on Leo's face, Naira relented. "Oh come off it. I'm not going to kill you. Just a bit of warning for when others are around."

Leo nodded. "Sorry," he offered quietly. It galled him to think that he had to rely so heavily on the doctor for protection.

Naira sighed. "Relax, Boy. I just want to talk to you right now. I will be doing a few simple tests on you later, but for now, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Leo chuckled dryly. "My life story? Why not then?"

He sat up, the blanket wrapped protectively around himself as he began to talk. He spoke briefly of his childhood, his training in the space program, how they had used monkeys for the unmanned flights. He told Naira everything that he could remember about the first planet he had landed on. Everything except for the specific names of some of the chimps and gorillas that he had met. Some instinctive thought kept him from revealing this.

When he finished with how he crash landed on the Thade Memorial, Dr. Naira refilled his water bowl and handed it back to him.

"Here, you must be thirsty by now," he said as he passed the bowl back.

Leo shook his head. "Felt kinda good to talk to someone who didn't think I was crazy."

Dr. Naira drummed the fingers on his right hand thoughtfully on the cage. "It does sound a tad farfetched, but I find myself wanting to believe you. The story seems too strange not to have some truth to it."

He peered down at Leo. "However, if I find out that you've been lying to me, I promise the consequences will be dire, Boy."

Leo huffed angrily. "I told you my name is Leo, not Boy. And I am telling the truth. What do I have to lose? Why shouldn't I tell the truth?" he snapped.

Naira observed him, his mind already processing the physical reactions that Leo was having.

"Indeed, you did mention that. My apologies, Leo."

Leo suppressed the urge to scoff. He pulled the blanket tighter while Naira jotted some information down on his sheets. He sipped from his water bowl again, noticing for the first time that his water tasted a bit funny. He swished the mouthful around and struggled to identify the strange flavoring.

"What's in the water?" he asked quietly.

Dr. Naira looked up at him sharply. "What?"

Leo raised one eyebrow. "The water tastes off. Like something's in it."

Dr. Naira blew out a breath, once again rubbing a hand over his face.

"The very fact that you can taste that…" he mumbled.

Leo dropped the bowl as a sweeping dizziness fell over him. The room was tilting from one side to the other. Leo griped the cage wall, and made a feeble groaning sound.

"What…what the hell…" he stuttered, his tongue feeling heavy, like it was made of lead.

Dr. Naira replaced Leo's sodden blanket with a fresh one. "I'm very sorry Leo. They've been drugging you for a few days now. It's a mild sedative."

"Mild?" Leo muttered. He swayed again, the colors of the room running together.

Naira spun around quickly, swearing loudly as he opened a nearby cupboard, scanning the shelves frantically. He grabbed a black bottle and yanked a syringe from the side table. He plunged it into the bottle and withdrew it, tapping it quickly. He grasped one of Leo's arms and brought the needle down.

Leo wheezed as the fluid flooded his bloodstream. He sighed as the room shifted back into focus. "The hell was in that?" he gasped.

Dr. Naira slammed the cupboard shut. "Someone's tampered with my water supply," he thundered; his eyes dark and threatening.

Leo leaned back against one side of the cage and closed his eyes. All he'd wanted to do lately was sleep. He rubbed at his stomach anxiously as the nervousness returned.

Naira strode over to his desk, each large step loudly echoing in the room. He lifted the phone receiver and dialed impatiently. The other line rang twice before someone picked up.

Leo pulled his knees up and wrapped himself tightly. He rested his head on his knees and listened carefully to Naira's conversation.

"Ari!" he barked. "I want to speak with you immediately. Come down to my office now!"

He waited a moment before rolling his eyes and snorting. "I don't particularly care if you are busy. If you're not in this office in ten minutes or less, I'll be going straight to the head of the funding department."

Leo watched with growing interest as Naira's mouth formed a grim smile. "I thought you might agree. Do be on time, dear girl."

He dropped the phone, rubbing his eyes irritably. "One bloody thing after another these days."

Dr. Naira went over to a small fridge beside his desk and pulled out a bottle of water. He thrust it between the bars of the cage. "Here, you'll be safer drinking this Leo. And please, no speaking in front of Ari when she gets here."

Leo gulped down two big swallows of water before answering. "And that would bad why? She seems to actually care if I live."

Dr. Naira sat back down in his chair and drummed the fingers on one hand absently. "If she, or the others, were to see just how evolved you are compared to the other humans that we have on our planet, they would no doubt try to rescue you. I've told you before Leo, and I'll say it until you understand, you are much safer here with me."

Leo swallowed another mouthful of water before screwing the cap back on. "What about the other doctors? Would they kill me?" he asked, suppressing the voice in his head that whispered of his fear.

Dr. Naira nodded solemnly. "I'm sure of it. You are a prize in a way Leo. But not in the manner that would make you untouchable I'm afraid to admit. I do want to study you. You are by far, the most interesting human I've ever seen. I mean you no harm Leo, but matters such as this are beyond my control."

Leo sighed then, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "What luck I have," he muttered.

Dr. Naira chuckled dryly. "Now Leo, don't go feeling sorry for yourself. Be thankful that I'm the one studying you, rather than Dr. Opalle. His major area of interest is in gene mutation."

Leo quietly denied to himself that those very words struck fear in his heart. He nodded at the doctor, before lying down as a knock sounded at the door. Dr. Naira stood up, his eyes flashing once again.

He pulled the door open harder than strictly necessary. "Ah, Ari. How kind of you to be prompt," he said as he ushered her in.

She walked in stiffly, her face carefully empty of any emotion. Dr. Naira sat behind his desk and motioned at the chair beside Ari. "Have a seat, my dear."

Ari gave him an undecipherable look before sitting down, her arms hanging loosely by her sides. Leo lay as still as he could, not wanting to draw her attention. He peered over the edge of the blanket as Naira cleared his throat.

"Ari, I know that some of your people have been in this room recently," Naira said calmly.

Ari gave a short, fake laugh. "I've no idea what you're talking about," she said.

"Really?" Dr. Naira said blandly as he tossed a cassette from his desk drawer onto the blotter in front of Ari. "Then I'm sure you can explain why I have footage of someone who bears a striking resemblance to Elis, breaking into my office and tampering with my water supply."

Ari's left eye twitched. "If that were true, then I'm sure Elis would have spoken to me about it."

Dr. Naira nodded his head before answering. "Perhaps. Or perhaps he wouldn't have because he would have already had orders to infect my water supply, knowing that the water was being given to the human, and not to myself. Tell me something Ari; did you really think I wouldn't find out?"

Ari's eyes glittered slightly. "I couldn't tell you as I honestly don't know, nor was I made aware of any activity by my group."

Dr. Naira made a scoffing sound. "Please don't insult my intelligence Ari. You and I both know that Elis is an overzealous protestor. I wouldn't put it above him to be the first one to volunteer for a mission of this sort. After all, a rescue mission such as this would be wonderful media coverage for your group. And what better way to bring more attention to a topic that people, oh say perhaps like your father for one, would rather sweep under the table than admit that there is something fundamentally wrong with human testing."

Ari twisted one hand with the other, struggling not to show her anxiety. "I would not ask any of my group members to do such a thing."

"Ari, this has gone on long enough!" he said sharply. "I am on your side in the debate for the testing. I have supported you and sent funding whenever I could. This intrusion is a slap in the face to all the work I've done with you, and to be perfectly frank, I am furious that you would try and do such a thing to me. This human is safe with me and you know it."

Ari stood up then, blinking fast and angry now herself. "I see no example better than you when someone asks me about the hypocrisy of our government. You are no better than my father. You give a pretty speech to those who would hear it, but when it comes down to it, you'd rather keep the human and experiment to your heart's content," she hissed.

"Ari, you are treading on dangerously thin ice. If you are not careful, then certain information will be made available to the public about the funding of your groups. And maybe a few details about the adventures in sabotage that various group members have partaken in," Dr. Naira all but growled at Ari.

"You wouldn't dare," she breathed.

Dr. Naira stared at Ari for a long moment. "Wouldn't I?" he asked softly.

Ari's lips trembled. "Damn you, Naira. This is not over yet."

Dr. Naira smiled gravely. "I wouldn't dream of ending this so soon."

Ari slammed her door on the way out. Leo jumped at the loud noise, startled by the quiet laugh that he heard from Dr. Naira. He glanced over in confusion to see Naira slipping the cassette back in his top drawer.

Dr. Naira grabbed a second bottle of water from his fridge and sipped from it leisurely. He looked down and smiled widely at the look on Leo's face. He leaned back and swallowed some more water.

"Is there something that you'd like to ask me?" he said.

Leo blinked. "Nah, I think I got it all."

Dr. Naira studied the door for a minute. "It's amazing how far a blank tape and good bluff can get you," he said, a small smile of victory on his face.

"Politics interrupt science so frequently," he said.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: In Thade We Trust – part 5

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

0000

Dr. Naira checked his stopwatch briefly before jotting down the times. He nodded to the doctor in the observing booth, and called a halt to the machines. Leo dropped to the matt on the ground, breathing heavily, his face flushed red, sweating and shaking hard.

Naira walked over to the chimp that was running the machine and spoke with him quietly, allowing Leo time to relax. He glanced back at the booth and tilted his head before approaching Leo.

"Alright now, follow me," he said. Leo glared at him mildly before pushing himself to his feet and staggering behind Naira. He felt the cool metal collar circle his neck and winced when he heard the click in his ears as it snapped shut.

"Thank you," Naira said gruffly to the young assistant. The chimp nodded silently and followed closely behind Leo, eyeing his every move. Leo rolled his eyes, trying his best not to limp after the grueling exercises they had put him through.

Naira led them back to his office and had his assistant place Leo in his cage.

"That will be all for today Marcis," he said shortly, dismissing him. Marcis nodded again and left the room promptly.

Leo sat down in his cage, his body aching all over. Naira handed him a small white container wordlessly and sat down at his desk, sighing as he flipped open a file folder and began transferring his notes.

Leo stared at the container, opening it and sniffing cautiously. "Smells kinda like mint," he said after a second sniff.

Dr. Naira looked up from his paperwork and smiled wearily. "It's made with mint leaf extract, that's why," he said, rubbing his forehead tiredly.

"But what is it?" Leo questioned. Naira eyed him before chuckling dryly.

"You've never used relaxing creams before?" he asked.

Leo blinked in understanding. "Oh for sore muscles," he said, feeling foolish.

Naira nodded. "Indeed, go on, rub some in," he said waving one hand.

Leo shrugged and began to smooth it into his calves, sighing in relief as the knotted muscles slowly relaxed. "What was the point of that damn exercise anyway?" he grumbled a few minutes later.

"Endurance tests," Naira said distractedly. "Seeing how long you could maintain a heart rate over a period of time while putting your body through exercises designed to tire you out."

Leo stared at him, his face dark with anger. "What now?" Naira asked, putting his pen down.

"I'm just a fuckin' lab rat to you guys," Leo spat angrily. "See how long till the human passes out and all that crap."

Naira studied him, annoyance clear in his eyes. "Leo, must we go through this again? After a week, I was beginning to hope that you understood things a bit better now."

Leo stood up then, hitting his head on the cage. He hissed in pain and rubbed at the sore spot on his head. "Oh I understand," he said lowly. "I'm so lucky to be with you, right? Till when? Till you decide the tests are done and I get put down?" he yelled, the rage he'd been suppressing bursting through.

Naira waited for Leo to stop yelling, his chest still sweat covered and heaving from his anger. "Are you done?" he asked, unimpressed by his display.

Leo snarled at him, baring his teeth. Naira rubbed at his forehead again, smoothing the lines of tension on his wrinkled skin.

"We all do things that we believe to be right. I try to do what's right as best as I can, Thade knows I've tried. But this, this dream you have of being set free is something unreachable at this time," Naira said, his eyes sad and dark. "It may be the right thing to do, but Leo, this is something that I cannot do. I only wish you could understand."

Leo slumped down in his cage, appalled by the hot tears that burned under his eyelids. "I..." he tried to say, his throat closing up.

"I can't do this," he whispered harshly. "I'm not an animal, I can't live like this," he pleaded to Naira, his breathing erratic now.

Naira regarded him with sorrow in his eyes. "I'm truly sorry Leo that our paths had to cross like this," he said softly. He stood up then and went to his cupboards, pulling out a plastic tube. He walked over to the cage slowly, his face blank, his eyes alive with sympathy.

Leo shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "No, God no," he said backing up to the corner of his cage, his eyes wide with fear, his face pale. He gripped the bars, his fingers slick with nervous sweat.

Naira took the syringe out and tested it. "It's only a sedative Leo, I promise," he said, reaching through the bars and griping Leo's arm with it.

Leo trembled as Naira held him, feeling the sharp sting of the needle pierce his skin. He curled up in the cage, the drug racing through his system immediately. Naira stroked his hair, making soothing noises as Leo slowly settled.

"I want to go home," he murmured, turning his head into the gentle caress, a part of him yearning for contact that didn't involve pain. He closed his eyes as the unwanted tears slid down his cheeks, his fingers twitching as he fell asleep.

Naira continued to stroke his hair after Leo relaxed in his drug-induced sleep, his own face lined with worry. He sighed as Leo whimpered in his sleep.

'I've become too close to him,' he thought sadly. 'I can't afford to care like this.'

0000

Leo awoke several hours later, blinking sluggishly, his arms throbbing, and his legs shaky. He licked his dry lips and glanced around the darkened room, searching for any sign of Dr. Naira. He rested his head against his blankets, the emptiness of the room hitting him hard.

He wiped at his face, errant tears still leaking occasionally. He swore viciously to himself, insisting that he get a grip and find a way to get out, no matter the consequences. Leo sat up, ignoring the protest from his aching muscles.

Dr. Naira walked in then, grumbling to himself as he closed the door and locked it behind him. He eyed the clock on the wall and then glanced in the cage, acknowledging Leo with a mere nod, before sitting at his desk.

Leo licked his lips again and tried to speak, his voice croaking. "Will I ever get out of the cage?" he asked, his voice little more than a whisper.

Naira looked him in the eye for a long moment before nodding slowly. "I am working on having you moved to my quarters, rather than being kept in the cage for most of the day," he said slowly.

"And I wouldn't be tied up?" Leo asked cautiously.

"No, you would be safe in my rooms, there would no need for restraint, unless you tried to escape of course," Naira said dryly, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Leo blinked. "What makes you think I'd try?" he asked with a straight face.

Naira scoffed lightly. "I didn't fall off the turnip truck the other day you know," he said, flipping open his folder. He paged through the notes that were clipped together. He gritted his teeth as he heard the sounds of raised voices coming down the hallway.

Leo tilted his head. "Is that Ari again?" he asked curiously.

Naira dropped the folders and groaned. "Yes, it seems she'd like to accompany her father, the senator for his visit with you. Please Leo, no speaking in front of either of them."

Leo nodded, grumbling. "Play dumb you mean?" he said sourly, gathering his blankets and wrapping them tightly around his body, feeling somewhat exposed.

Naira gave him a look and let out a deep breath before clearing his face of any irritation and unlocked the door, opening it. "Good afternoon Senator, Ari," he said, waving them in.

Ari nodded stiffly at him, her eyes downcast as she took a seat in front of his desk. Sandar leaned over the cage, peering curiously at Leo. "Hmm, haven't seen him up close till now," he said quietly.

Dr. Naira sat down behind his desk and folded his hands carefully, the long fingers tapping a steady beat against each other. "Yes, he is very interesting, of that there is no doubt," he said.

Sandar stared at Leo, his eyes searching. Leo stared blankly back at him. Sandar blinked suddenly and glanced at Naira. "And you said he exhibits more than a basic language ability?" he asked, finally stepping away from the cage and taking a seat beside Ari.

Dr. Naira nodded. "He responds to 'yes' and 'no' questions with some fluidity. Beyond that, his grasp is minimal," he said. Ari stiffened beside her father, her mouth opening. Naira sent her a quick glare, silencing anything that she might have said.

Sandar sighed impatiently. "What of the other tests, the results?" he said.

Naira frowned. "As I mentioned, his body responds to the healing process with much enthusiasm, the scabbing and healing is almost immediate. He is quite strong, his physical endurance is excellent. Overall, he is far more developed than the workers in the fields."

Naira watched with some amusement as Ari struggled not to speak. He opened Leo's file and spread out several of the charts for Sandar to look through.

"As you can see here, his muscles differ from those of the workers, they seemed somewhat more refined. From the tests, I've concluded that his genetics are modified from the ones of the workers. It is quite plausible that humans do not share all the same developmental characteristics as we previously believed," he said slowly.

Sandar picked up one of the spreadsheets, blinking rapidly. "Are you saying that there are differences in the genetic make-ups?" he asked, frowning in confusion.

Dr. Naira suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, Senator, that is what the results have shown. It is very possible that humans and apes share far more in common than we have found in the past."

"But that would mean that there's more like him, would it not?" Sandar said, his voice going higher.

Dr. Naira nodded solemnly. "There might," he agreed. "However, the other humans that we have in the testing labs are more like the workers than like this human. We've yet to find another human who is like him."

Ari fidgeted for a moment before speaking. "Dr. Naira, if this is true then why have no other humans been found that more resemble Leo?" she said quickly, unaware of her slip.

"Surely there are others, but with the suspiciously rapid deaths of the humans who are found on the outskirts of the main cities, we have no knowledge of what they are capable of," she added, ignoring the scathing glare that Naira was giving her.

Sandar scoffed. "Ari, you know as well I do that humans are inferior to apes. They have no real emotions; they are not capable of thinking as we do. I'm afraid your exposure to them has led you to assume that they have souls, personalities even."

Ari's nostrils flared in anger. "Father, you know nothing of the humans beyond what the scientists tell you, what you're eager to hear, rather than see with your own eyes. They deserve more than the lot they have been given in life," she spat, half rising out of her seat.

"Please, Ari sit!" Sandar said softly with much urgency. "Calm yourself or I'll have Dr. Naira escort you out."

Ari sat down heavily, her eyes shining with frustrated tears. "Forgive me, Dr. Naira," she said stiffly. "I was out of line."

Dr. Naira waved one hand, hiding his smirk. "Consider it forgotten," he said breezily.

Sandar breathed out slowly. "What is to be done with the human now?" he asked.

Dr. Naira paused for a moment, carefully choosing his words. "After the most recent experiments, ones that have mainly focused on his body, I would like to transfer him to a more secure area to continue the testing on his mind," he said.

Sandar studied the papers again, before nodding hesitantly. "And where would he be moved to?" he asked finally.

Naira made a show of shrugging. "I've considered having him moved to my own personal quarters. I have a secure, private room that could be used," he said.

Sandar grimaced. "Are you sure that's wise Naira? Having a human so close to you at all times?" he said.

Ari swore under her breath. "It's perfectly safe to be in close contact with a human, Father," she said, her voice acidic. "He's not a rabid dog."

Dr. Naira stared at Sandar unblinkingly. "That is a risk I'm willing to take," he said quietly.

Sandar nodded. "If anything happens to the human," he started to say warningly.

Dr. Naira bit his inner cheek fiercely before answering. "I accept whatever inherent dangers you believe that the human has. I would like to do this with as little fuss as possible and Thade willing, perhaps receive some answers. The human's living environment might very well affect his mental state of mind, and that would hinder my research."

Sandar chuckled dryly. "I highly doubt that the human thinks in the same terms as we do," he said, sneering lightly in the direction of Leo's cage.

Dr. Naira bit down harder, the anger pushing his words out insistently. "I wonder Senator, if you are considering how the human is responding to the examination procedure itself? Or are you more concerned with spinning your latest fairy tales to the masses in order to keep yourself in office?" he said, bitterness creeping into his voice.

Sandar stood up abruptly. "I'll believe this visit is over now," he snapped furiously.

Ari stood up, her eyes still shinning. "Dr. Naira," she said softly, dipping her head to him.

Naira offered a grim smile. "Thank you for your time Senator," he said, a slight hint of sarcasm lacing his words.

Sandar nodded, his eyes still flashing angrily. "I expect continued progress reports. I will have a messenger bring you the requirements for when your 'guest' is moved into your quarters," he said, his lip curling in contempt.

Dr. Naira gathered his papers. "As I expected," he said smoothly, watching them leave.

He sat back down wearily. "That was easier than I expected," he murmured.

Leo shook his head, the conversation that he had heard echoing in his mind. "Why do you put up with that bullshit?" he asked.

Dr. Naira stood up slowly, paging for Marcis to come to his office. "We all do things that we despise Leo," he said lowly. "Some reasons are better than others."

Leo swallowed, his gratitude and anger at the way he had mentioned in the discussion mixing together. "Thanks," he mumbled after a moment of silence. Naira nodded.

"It's safer for you this way," he said. The door to his office opened and Marcis stood, waiting expectantly for his orders.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: In Thade We Trust – Chapter 6

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

xx

Leo trailed his fingers along the bars of his cage, humming under his breath as he did so. He yawned softly and tugged his blanket up a bit higher. Dr. Naira read through one of the many folders on his desk, a small frown on his face, his red marker in hand.

"Absolute nonsense," he muttered. He scribbled on the page before him, angry slashes of red decorating the bottom half of the sheet.

"Paperwork no matter who's runnin' the planet," Leo snorted, glancing at Dr. Naira.

"Thade, what I wouldn't give to shred the bulk of what I have to sign and read each day," Dr. Naira said, rolling his eyes. "I feel as though I spend the better part of my days shuffling paper."

"Guess you missed that part of the job description, huh?" Leo drawled.

Dr. Naira sniffed and put his marker down. "So it would seem," he said. "On that note, you're being transferred to my rooms today."

Leo blinked, his fingers stilling on one bar. "No cage, right?" he asked, needing to hear the assurances again.

"Mhm," Dr. Naira nodded. "Provided that you don't try and leave the rooms, then no, I won't have to cage you."

Leo sat up slowly, pulling his sore legs up to his chest. "You really expect me to just go along with this?" he asked wearily. "That I'll accept the fact that I'm some lab rat now?"

Dr. Naira rested his head on the palm of one hand. "Is that your outburst for the day?" he asked.

"Fuck you," Leo spat without any heat behind his words.

"That's a very interesting choice of words," Dr. Naira mused, a calculating look in his eyes.

Leo stared at him in disbelief. "What? You guys don't swear around here?" he asked.

Dr. Naira clicked the top of his pen and scribbled something down on a piece of paper. "Tell me, what does that word mean anyway?"

"Are you kidding me?" Leo said, his eyebrows rising in surprise. "I...I heard that gorilla guard say 'damn' but you don't know what 'fuck' means?"

"Language like that is rarely heard," Dr. Naira said. "Though, I did hear my college roommate say 'shit' on occasion."

"Try lookin' in the poorer areas of your cities," Leo said, a small smile curving his lips. "Where I'm from, fuck isn't a word, it's a comma."

"So, you use this word to express anger or irritation?" Dr. Naira guessed.

Leo chuckled and nodded. "You could say that, yeah. When you're little, the adults call it a 'bad word', so I guess you could say that," he said.

Dr. Naira wrote fast, nodding. "This...This is what fascinates me," he said offhandedly. "You're so much more advanced than the workers."

Leo leaned his head against the bars. "Lucky me," he said dryly.

A knock on the door sounded then. "Enter," Dr. Naira said. Marcis pushed the door open and stood by Dr. Naira's desk, his eyes firmly fixed on the doctor.

"Marcis, we'll be moving the human to my quarters this morning," Dr. Naira said, standing then. He handed Marcis a piece of paper from one folder. "Take this list to the supply department. I've arranged for these items to be prepared for me. Have the items delivered to the main room, but do not unpack them. I want the small room set up, the restraints on the wall corners only. Understood?"

Marcis nodded promptly. "Yes Sir," he said.

"You are dismissed," Dr. Naira said. Marcis left the room, the list in his long fingers.

Dr. Naira adjusted his white lab coat and glanced at Leo. "The restraints are merely for show," he said, reading the look on Leo's face correctly.

Leo swallowed carefully over the lump in his throat. "I won't fight you," he whispered. "Just...don't lock me up?"

"I promised you that I wouldn't, Leo," Dr. Naira said. "That is, unless you give me a reason to."

Leo sighed and fiddled with his blanket. "Can I ask you something?"

Dr. Naira busied himself with taking certain files from the large gray cabinet near his desk. "Certainly," he said. "Though I can't promise you that you'll like the answer, I'm afraid."

Leo's lips quirked in an almost smile. "Yeah, you're probably right," he said. "What...What would happen if I did try and y'know...break out?"

Dr. Naira turned around hurriedly, staring at him. "Do not joke about that," he said sternly.

"I'm not planning on running outta here," Leo said, his stomach knotting up. "Would it be bad though?"

"Immediate death would be kind, but that's not what would happen," Dr. Naira said softly. "You'd be taken from my custody and from there...to put it bluntly, you'd find yourself wishing for death long before they let you die."

Leo clenched his teeth and nodded. "You really can't help me, can you?"

"No, and seeing as I have no wish to die a prolonged death, I won't attempt it either," Dr. Naira said.

"Right..." Leo mumbled into his blanket. Dr. Naira pulled a few more files out and closed the drawer, preparing what he would need for the transfer.

xx

Marcis returned a short while later, two large gorillas at his sides. "Dr. Naira, Sir," he said when he entered the room. "Everything has been delivered."

"Good," Dr. Naira grunted. He looked over at Leo and nodded. "Stand," he said flatly.

Leo blinked, confused for a moment. He pushed himself up, hissing from the pain in his arms and legs. Marcis stepped over to the side, his eyes straight ahead. The two gorillas approached the cage, watching Leo warily.

"Restrain his wrists in front of him, no force is necessary," Dr. Naira said.

The first gorilla thumbed the latch open on the cage and pulled the doorway open, the metal screeching slightly as he lifted it. Leo winced, the blankets still around him protectively.

"Drop it," Dr. Naira said, regarding Leo with a blank face.

Leo clutched at the blanket, his eyes wide. Dr. Naira waited patiently for him to drop the blankets, an unspoken apology in his eyes. Leo stared at the floor and let the blanket fall, his cheeks burning with humiliation at having to stand naked in front of the others.

The second guard stepped closer and tugged Leo's arms in front of his stomach, holding them there while the other slapped the metal bracelet restraints on him. Leo growled when he felt the metal collar snap around his neck, a look of unease crossing the eyes of the guards.

"He's harmless, I assure you," Dr. Naira said, much boredom in his voice. "Shall we?"

The guards nudged Leo forward, making him stumble. He grunted and caught his footing, following Dr. Naira as they left the room. Leo spared his cage one last look, an odd urge to crawl back in coming over him. He sighed and continued to walk carefully, the tiled floor cold under his bare feet.

Leo lost count of the amount of times that they turned around corners, down different corridors and past large open rooms. He kept his eyes on the floor, willing his embarrassment away. 'You've been through shit much worse than this,' he thought bitterly.

Finally, they stopped at one large door; the plain door just like all the doors in the hallways had no locks. Dr. Naira swiped his pass card along the security box. The box beeped and he pushed the door open, Marcis and the guards following behind him, one guard dragging Leo inside as well.

Dr. Naira turned to the guards. "Leave, now," he said.

"But we need to secure it before we..." one protested.

Dr. Naira eyed the guard. "I don't care," he said coldly. "Leave us now."

"Yes Sir," they grunted and left in unison, the door closing with a muted thud.

Dr. Naira looked over at Marcis. "Escort him to the small room. Do not touch him, leave him be in there," he said. "Is this in any way unclear?"

Marcis shook his head. "No Sir," he said. He took a step towards Leo, a look of caution on his face. Leo bared his teeth at Marcis, pure loathing for him and the situation. He could feel it, the weight of awareness on him, nudging him every so often.

He could close his eyes and pretend this wasn't real, that he was delusional, anything but facing the fact that he was standing in the middle of the doctor's rooms, naked and surrounded by apes on a planet where humans meant nothing.

"S-Sir..." Marcis stuttered, completely unnerved by the malice in Leo's eyes.

Dr. Naira sighed crossly and walked over to Leo, undoing the metal restraints around his wrists. "Leave the collar on for now," he said. "Go with him," he added, nodding to Leo.

Leo bit back the urge to roll his eyes and bark. Marcis walked quickly to the hallway, leading him to a small room off to the side. Leo stood in the room, his eyes watching Marcis leave just as quickly.

Once he was gone, Leo let his gaze wander, taking the room in. It seemed more like a cell to him than anything else. A plain wooden bed stood in one corner, a small chest of drawers beside the night stand, along with a wicker container in the far corner. He sat down on the edge of the bed, resigned to the fact that the room had no windows. He thought longingly of the last time he'd been outside, when he'd crash-landed on the Thade Memorial. With a small shudder, he noticed the hooks in each corner of the room, his restraints if needed.

Dr. Naira came into the room a few minutes later. "There's some clothing in the drawers for you," he said.

"Thanks," Leo muttered. Dr. Naira walked over to him and knelt down, unclipping the metal collar, his long, coarse fingers rubbing over the red marks on Leo's neck.

Leo edged away from him, his chest hitching. "D-Don't," he breathed out.

"Easy, Boy," Dr. Naira chided him. "I have some creams for the marks; I'll bring it to you in a few minutes."

Leo nodded and looked away from him. Dr. Naira stood and pointed to the drawers. "Get dressed, Leo," he said firmly. "I'll be back soon, and we can discuss what'll be happening from now on."

Leo waited until Dr. Naira left the room before pulling the drawers open. He looked down at the dark blue sweatshirt and sweatpants in the drawer, grateful for the clothes. He dressed as quickly as his sore body would permit and then curled up on the bed, exhausted already by the day's events.

Dr. Naira returned after a few minutes, a ceramic container in one hand. He sat down on the bed. "Tilt your head," he murmured, unscrewing the lid carefully.

Leo did so, his eyes on the low ceiling. He bit back a grimace when he felt Naira's fingers smoothing the cream into his neck, uncomfortable with the feeling.

"Why do you make that face every time I touch you?" Dr. Naira asked. "If you're afraid that I have intentions of..."

"No!" Leo said, glaring at him. "It's not that, it's well...before I landed here, all the apes were rough with me, alright?"

Dr. Naira nodded slowly. "I apologize," he said. He offered him the container. "Here, finish your neck then."

Leo took it and did so, hissing under his breath. "So what are my rules then? Am I on display for the senator or Ari?" he asked.

"I only have a few outlines so far," Dr. Naira said. "Firstly, I think the obvious is that you are to not leave these rooms without myself at your side. However, if I send Marcis to get you, you will need to leave with him."

Leo snorted softly. "Uh huh," he said. "That chimp won't even look me in the eyes."

"Your little display when you first arrived ensured that the others won't stray too close to you," Dr. Naira said, somewhat amused by the memory.

"They were askin' for it," Leo protested. "And wouldn't you freak out if it was the other way around?"

"I imagine I would, yes," Dr. Naira said. Leo smiled thinly. "There you go," he said.

Dr. Naira shook his head. "Secondly," he continued. "No speaking in front of anyone, I cannot stress the importance of that enough."

Leo sighed and handed him the container. "Right," he said.

"Third, you're free to wander through the rooms if you'd like, but I want you to stay out of my filing cabinets, is that understood?" Dr. Naira asked, frowning.

"Sure," Leo said slowly, eyeing him. Dr. Naira screwed the lid back on the container. "That's all really," he said. "I'm not an evil scientist, Leo, although I expect my rules to be obeyed. Please don't force my hand with discipline."

Leo looked away from him. "I'm not some little kid, y'know," he said, deeply irritated. "It might mean nothing to you and all the rest of your kind out there, but I won't be treated like I'm some stupid fuckin' kid who doesn't know any better."

"Easy now, don't get overexcited," Dr. Naira said, taking a mental note of the way Leo had reacted to his own frustration. "I'll order the food for tonight. Rest for now."

Leo grunted and nodded, lying down on the bed. Dr. Naira stood and pulled the last drawer open from the dresser. He took a blanket from the drawer and unfolded it, draping it over Leo. "There," he murmured.

Leo tugged the blanket closer to his body, thoroughly warm for the first time in awhile.

xx


	7. Chapter 7

Title: In Thade We Trust – Chapter 7

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

ooo

Leo awoke after what seemed like hours, puzzled and disoriented. He lifted his head from the pillow, blinking owlishly in the darkness of his room. He licked his dry lips and sat up, his skin prickling all over. Silence greeted him. Leo breathed out softly, his heart beating rapidly. He looked around the room, a crack of light visible under the frame of his doorway. 

He crept off his bed, the mattress squeaking. Leo made his way to the door and pressed his ear to the frame, straining to hear any noise. Muted voices carried down the hallway, quiet murmurs that he could hardly hear. Leo frowned, his hand straying to the slot where the door handle should have been. He sighed when he felt the metal slot, another reminder that he wasn't home or even on his station. 

Leo tugged the metal slot, a growl escaping him as he did so. The voices stopped, dead silence filling the air. Leo dropped his hand from the slot, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. He backed away from the door, his palms sweating when he heard muffled footsteps echoing down the hallway. Leo crawled into his bed and yanked the covers up, feigning sleep just as the door swooshed open. 

Leo held still, exhaling deeply and slowly. "He sleeps like an infant, all curled up."

"Well really Ari, did you think that he would hang upside down?" Dr. Naira scoffed softly. 

"Hush," Ari chided him. "You'll wake him."

Leo bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes firmly shut. "The similarities are remarkable," she whispered. "How different are we in the long run?"

"Not as much as you would imagine," Dr. Naira said. "Come along now, leave him be."

Ari brushed her long fingers over Leo's forehead, the touch gentle. "Ari, come now!"

She sighed and backed away from the bed, following Dr. Naira. The door swooshed closed, leaving Leo in the silent and dark room. Leo sighed as well and tugged the blanket around tighter around himself.

ooo

In the morning, Leo was awakened by Dr. Naira. He followed him out of the room, rubbing at the sleep in his eyes with the heels of his hands. Dr. Naira pointed to a simple wooden table that rested against the far wall of the main room. "Sit there," he said.

Leo woofed under his breath and sat down on the chair, yawning widely. He rested his head in his arms on the table, one eye watching Dr. Naira open and close cupboards in the kitchen area. He was asleep again when Dr. Naira walked over, placing a tray on the table, his knuckles rapping on the wooden tabletop. "Leo...Boy, wake up already!" he said. 

"Huh? Oh...Shit, sorry," Leo said sheepishly. He yawned, covering his mouth as he did so.

"Did you not sleep enough?" Dr. Naira asked as he lifted the lid off the bowl on one tray.

Leo shook his head. "You guys run me ragged every day," he said tiredly. "I need to rest. Even the chimps on the stations got days off," he grumbled.

Dr. Naira paused, his hand hovering over the spoon. "Chimps..." he echoed. 

"Yeah, I told you, that's how I got in this...whatever the hell you want to call it," Leo said. "I worked with the chimps on space flights, I was going after mine, Pericles, and he got caught in the electrical storm."

"Leo...Surely you know how...very unlikely that comes across," Dr. Naira said. He poured a spoonful of sugar over the contents of the bowl and placed it on the tray in front of Leo.

"You don't...why would I lie?" Leo protested quickly, his forehead furrowed in tired frustration. "What good would that do me?"

"It's not that I think you're lying, Leo," Dr. Naira said. He sat down on his chair. "It's more that the world you described to me, your circumstances as to how you arrived here, it's very odd."

"Odd," Leo said, his eyes gleaming with anger. "Y'know what's odd? Landing on some backwards fuckin' planet! Being treated like a slave by monkeys! Having to fight a war between humans and apes! That's fucking odd, ok!"

"Calm down this instant or I'll have you medicated," Dr. Naira warned sharply. 

"Do you have any idea what was goin' through my head when I woke up strapped to a surgical table, cut open like a lab rat?" Leo said, his shoulders slumping. 

"I imagine you were terrified," Dr. Naira said. "This is precisely why I had you brought to my rooms. I did what I could; the very least you could do is show some gratitude."

"Oh, thank you ever so much, Master," Leo snarled half heartedly. 

"Leo, this is my final warning," Dr. Naira said sternly, his eyes flashing. "Settle down or I will have you restrained."

His words had the desired effect. Leo stiffened at the very mention of restraints, his eyes wide. "I...I'm sorry," he said through clenched teeth.

Dr. Naira nodded and pushed a spoon close to him. "Your anger is understandable," he said. "Eat; you'll need your strength."

"Is that why you always look so fascinated by my emotions?" Leo muttered. He grabbed the spoon and ate the porridge-like food, the pieces of fruit in it amusing him somewhat, a far away memory of eating the porridge that his grandmother made on cold winter mornings hitting him then.

"Your face is very expressive," Dr. Naira said. "Your emotions bleed through and it's just one more thing I'm studying about you."

Leo ate slowly, his anger fading. "What are the other humans like?" he asked. "I mean...the ones you guys found."

"They're much less advanced than you," Dr. Naira said. "Most can't speak, although they do verbalize somewhat, sounds in their throats and interestingly enough, complex hand gestures. The hand gestures are similar to sign language, only different somehow. We've yet to completely crack what the codes mean."

"Like cavemen?" Leo said, scooping a red berry up with his spoon. He glanced at Naira, blinking. "What?"

Dr. Naira hurriedly crossed the room and grabbed a notepad from a chest of drawers that filled one wall. "What did you say just now?" he asked, clicking his pen.

"What? Y'mean 'cavemen'?" Leo said with a confused frown on his face. 

"Yes, that word, what are you saying by that word?" Dr. Naira asked. 

Leo put his spoon down. "Caveman...it's, well its kinda what they called prehistoric humans," he said, groping for the right words. "Haven't you heard of evolution?"

"I imagine that your world believed in human evolution?" Dr. Naira asked. 

"Mhm," Leo nodded. "See, the theory was that man evolved from great apes over millions of years, from apes to hominids, eventually to humans like me."

Dr. Naira stared at him, his dark eyes wide. "You...your kind believes that?"

"Of course," Leo said. "I mean, there are always the religious guys who say its all bullshit, that there's no way that mankind evolved from monkeys, but c'mon, when you got the fossils an' bones to back it up, how can you deny it?"

"Leo, forgive me, but that is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard," Dr. Naira said. 

Leo rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said. "It's the truth."

"How can you even say that? That humans and apes are one in the same? That's..." Dr. Naira trailed off, shaking his head.

"We're not exactly the same. You said so yourself last night to Ari that we're a lot alike, so why's it such a shock to you?" Leo said heatedly. "Did you know we're so close to bein' the same? Ninety-eight percent close!"

"You were awake?" Dr. Naira interrupted irritably. 

"Yeah," Leo said. "Don't change the subject! The difference between humans an' great apes is only one pair less of chromosomes. So you tell me why that makes human evolution impossible."

Dr. Naira tapped his pen to his notepad thoughtfully. "This is why humans are so fascinating to study," he said. "The similarities are there. We haven't been able to show how or why the split occurred, but there have been rumblings in the science world for the last hundred years or so about the possibility of ape evolution being misunderstood."

"Right," Leo said. "Even human scientists weren't sure how it happened, they know that it did happen and there's proof that it did happen. Whatever the hell happened here, I don't know, it's like it changed, like you guys got smarter and humans reversed."

"Thade only knows," Dr. Naira murmured. Leo looked at him, his lip curled in a sneer. 

"Thade's your God, huh?" he said. "Figures..."

"God...what's that got to do with Thade?" Dr. Naira asked blankly.

"Oh for the love of..." Leo sighed. "Look, you guys praise him, right? You got monuments for the sadistic bastard, so he's revered and feared?"

"Bite your tongue, Leo," Dr. Naira glared at him. 

"Yeah, well you didn't know him when I knew him!" Leo snapped. He paused. "I...I mean...Sorry," he said. "When you treat someone like that where I'm from, it means they're like a God, a higher being, it's a spiritual thing."

"I see," Dr. Naira said. Leo stirred his spoon through his breakfast. "How do you know the word 'caveman'?" he asked.

"A group of humans were found twenty years ago near the outskirts of Washington, high up near the mountains, not far from Virginia," Dr. Naira said as he wrote quick notes. "They were living in a section of the cave that was formed by the mountain. They couldn't speak, not in any language or sounds that we could discern, but they were nicknamed 'cavemen' for their living environment."

"Were they the kind that made cave paintings, did the whole animal skin look, stones and spears for weapons?" Leo asked. 

Dr. Naira paused again, looking at him. "How did you...yes, all those things."

"We called them 'Cro-Magnons'," Leo said. "They were the closest descendents to modern humans."

"Modern, you mean as in behaving more like you?" Dr. Naira asked.

Leo shrugged. "In a way, yeah," he said. "I'm from 2029. Things are different then they were at the turn of the century."

Dr. Naira looked amused. "Leo, it is 2029," he said. 

"Yeah, well with what little I saw when I landed, I thought I made it back home," Leo muttered. "It all looks the same! Until the gorilla cops went at me."

"So, Pericles was your chimp?" Dr. Naira asked after a moment of silence between them.

Leo nodded. "He was one of the chimps that were gene-spliced and enhanced with more human-like chromosomes," he said. "We used them to pilot space pods for areas that humans hadn't been able to travel to."

"Why didn't you tell me these specifics when I asked you before?" Dr. Naira asked.

"I didn't think you'd believe me," Leo said simply. "Even now, I don't think your believin' half of what I'm telling you."

"I want to believe you, Leo, but you need to understand how what you tell me contradicts with Earth's history," Dr. Naira said. 

"What is your history?' Leo asked. "Show me how I'm wrong? I'm not an idiot, y'know."

"I have no doubt of your intelligence," Dr. Naira said. "Clearly you have intelligence if you were flying a space pod, although your landing left something to be desired. It was quite the clean-up on the monument."

Leo glared at him, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. "Oh, shut up," he mumbled. "Let's see you crash land with style after you go through what I went through. I happen to be an astronaut, y' gotta have some brains to do that."

"Clearly," Dr. Naira said with some amusement in his eyes. He ate a few spoonfuls of his own porridge, deep in thought. "So, in theory, if humans evolved from apes, then why have we not become human over time as well?"

Leo sighed. "Look, I really don't know, ok? Even the scientists couldn't explain it completely. As far as I understood it in history class, over time more and more of the hominids began standing up. I'm guessin' they realized that they could do a lot more if they started walkin' around. Evolution's like that, survival of the fittest," he said, waving one hand in annoyance.

"Suppose it was more that we shared a common ancestor," Dr. Naira mused, his food forgotten again as he pieced the information together. "If we shared common DNA at one time, then it would explain how some evolved and some didn't. Humans, they resemble chimps more than apes..." he trailed off, his arm rubbing over his head as he wrote rapidly on his notepad.

Leo smiled slowly. "They estimated that humans branched off from the common ancestor that we had somewhere between five and seven million years ago on Earth," he said. "Huh, and Professor Bowen said I'd never pass history. Shows how much he knows."

Dr. Naira snorted and shook his head. "Teachers, they think they know it all," he said distractedly. 

Leo gripped his spoon again and continued eating, pushing all thoughts of the day ahead out of his mind.

ooo


	8. Chapter 8

Title: In Thade We Trust – Chapter 8

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

xx

Leo's bodyguard dropped him quite unceremoniously on the floor of Dr. Naira's rooms, a wary gaze on his face. Leo grunted and sat up, glaring at the ape. "Would it kill you to put me down properly?" he snapped at him. "I'm not a fuckin' sack of potatoes!"

The ape leaned in, one that Leo had nicknamed Bob for his own amusement, and bared his large teeth at him. "You're lucky that you're under Naira's protection," he growled.

Leo smirked and rolled his eyes. "Same for you," he said. "Lucky cause if Naira leaves anythin' sharp around, I just might, oh I don't know, _accidentally_ cut you when I'm being carried. So yeah, lucky for you he never does, right?"

Bob's small, dark eyes flashed with fury. He lunged for Leo, stopped only by the sound of the door _swooshing_ open, Naira's frame filling the doorway. "That's enough!" he commanded. "Daril, what might I ask where you about to just do?"

Leo coughed, smothering a laugh. "Daril," he muttered under his breath.

"He threatened me! That worthless _human_ just threatened me!" Daril fumed.

"I have no doubt that he was merely retaliating because of your behavior," Dr. Naira said dryly. "I expect better of my guards, and frankly, I will have you replaced if your unacceptable attitude does not improve. The human is to be treated safely and carefully. Is this unclear, Daril?"

Daril clenched his teeth. "No Sir," he said.

"Good," Dr. Naira pointed to the door. "Take your leave now, Daril. I will call if I need you."

And with that, Daril left but not before giving Leo a look of pure contempt as he moved past the doorway. Leo chuckled bitterly and got to his feet. He held out his chained hands to Naira. "Little help?"

Dr. Naira took the keys from his pocket and unlocked the wrist cuffs, pulling them free from his arms. "Turn around," he said, bringing out a second set of keys from the pocket of his white lab coat.

Leo did so; sighing gratefully with the metal band around his neck was taken off. He rubbed at the red marks the collar left on him, the skin pinched and sore. "He's a real charming guard," he said.

Dr. Naira eyed him. "Leo, really," he sighed as he put the cuffs in his deep coat pockets. "Please don't aggravate the guards. You're better off just staying quiet. Rumors are fast spreading about you. The more you talk to them, the worse it'll be."

Leo stalked across the room and sat against one wall, his head resting back. "Two weeks of being in this room, they're bound to hear me say something sometime," he mumbled into his chest.

Dr. Naira rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Look, I explicitly remember telling you not to speak in front of anyone but myself, and that is only when we are alone," he looked over at him. "It's only a matter of time before Daril tells others what he heard. It's fortunate that I can have him discharged to a remote location within the day."

"What a shame," Leo mocked. "Me an' Daril were getting to be so close, what with the way he'd throw me around and all."

"Leo!"

Leo couldn't help the flinch at the angry tone. "I'm sorry," he offered.

"Sorry..." Dr. Naira sighed. "Your apologies do nothing to keep your secrets secure in this facility. The newspapers, reporters, all of them are hounding the building to get a glimpse at the human who came from the heavens. Thade, what a circus this has become."

Leo rubbed his neck slowly. "I said I was sorry," he darted his gaze at Naira. "I am, honest. I just...I get tired of bein' treated like this sometimes."

Dr. Naira nodded. "I know," he gestured to the stack of folders. "I've heard the reports while I was away this morning. I'm changing your routine; your safety is becoming quite the issue."

"To where?" Leo struggled with the fear that rose in his chest, his palms damp.

"I have additional rooms. The tests will continue in there. They're private, meaning that only others who can be trusted will be allowed to observe, besides myself."

Leo closed his eyes. "How long has it been since I crashed?"

"Almost a month to the day," Dr. Naira replied.

Leo chuckled humorlessly. "You think time moves like this in my world?"

Dr. Naira stilled, his eyes widening. "That is a very intriguing question," he said. "If I had to hazard a quick guess, and if I was to include your description of what's happened, then yes, I believe it's possible that the time would be the same."

"This is my world," Leo whispered brokenly. "Just not what I thought it would be."

Dr. Naira put his folder down, pity in his eyes. "Leo, perhaps you'd like to lie down? You look a little worn out."

Leo nodded silently and stood, making his way to his bedroom. He curled up on the bed, rubbing his sweatshirt clad arm over his eyes for a moment.

xx

Dr. Naira poured over his sheets, attacking them with a renewed need to understand. He sipped his coffee slowly, one hand fiddling with his pen. He looked over the results of Leo's physicals for the day, his eyes widening. They had pushed him to his limit it seemed. Leo had run the length of the testing room for 2 hours straight before dropping into a dead faint.

Naira swore under his breath and reached for his desk phone. He hit the third button on speed dial, drumming his long fingers on the desk top blotter. "Calder, its Naira. I think it's about time we arranged a meeting, don't you?"

He scoffed after hearing the reply. "Don't you even suggest that to me, Calder. You will meet with me, immediately."

Naira dropped the phone and slapped his folder shut. He carried his cup of coffee with him and turned the coffee maker on, waiting for it to brew. He drained the last of his mug, a new thought occurring to him as he looked out to the main room.

"Time...a rip in time," he whispered. "A wormhole..."

He slid the cup on the counter and all but ran to his stuffed wooden bookcase, the books piled every which way on the shelves. He traced his finger over the titles, murmuring under his breath. He yanked one of the books out, the spine cracking as he flipped through the pages.

Naira read through the pages, his eyes darting over the lines rapidly. He dimly registered the sound of the coffeemaker going off, the sound of his door opening. He whirled around, Calder standing before him, a disgruntled look on his lined face.

"Yes, Naira?" he drawled. "What was so terribly demanding that I was to abandon my chemical testing?"

Naira clutched the book, tucking the spine away from Calder's view. "I received my reports on your treatment of the human," he said. "What is the meaning of this?" he went over to the desk and lifted the papers. "You ran him until he dropped!"

Calder stared at him, his eyes cold. "And your point is?"

"My point," Naira said through gritted teeth, "Is that there was no need. The human was unconscious for over a minute and a half. You are not to be running him until he dies, Calder. Surely even you are aware of what will happen if we allow the human to die!"

Calder shrugged. "If he dies, he dies. There are more humans being rounded up and brought in. I've spoken to Netred, and she has developed a synthetic hormone to stop the incessant births between testing intervals. We will have more humans to work on."

Naira dropped the papers, a rage he had never felt before building inside him. "Be that as it may, this human is not like the others. He is advanced, Calder, light years away from the humans that you toss aside so casually. If he dies, all of our experiments will be for nothing but statistics."

Calder eyed him with a hint of a smirk. "It wasn't so long ago that you thought nothing of them either. How long has it been since the last human died in your captivity, Naira? Not very long at all when you consider it, right? You've lost your touch. You've become too close to the humans. You, and that nosey chimp, Ari, the pair of you need to be reminded of what's most important to our kind."

Naira exhaled silently. He knew if he spoke too soon, the damage would be large. "Are you questioning my loyalty?" he asked finally.

"Certainly not," Calder demurred, his eyes glinting. "I do question how wise it is for you to keep one of _them_ in your personal quarters. Should the human attack, why it would be fascinating to watch the trial and execution of it, don't you agree?"

"I am removing you from the team," Naira hissed. "Your efforts are no longer necessary on behalf of this human, though I thank you for your input. I apologize but I really must get back to my studies, I have much to research tonight."

Calder's lips stretched and twitched in a mockingly polite smile. "Of course," he nodded. "Good night to you, Naira." He left the rooms, the door _swooshing _shut firmly.

Naira slapped his book down with a sigh of disgust. "The cold bastard..."

He sat down heavily on his cushioned chair, his long fingers rubbing the other side of his head. After several minutes of reflection, Naira looked back at his book, the pages beckoning to him. He lifted the book, one finger trailing over the chapter heading, entitled, _'Lorentzian Wormholes'_.

xx

Leo leaned back against the hallway, his knees weakening as the other chimp left, Naira's sigh echoing in the room. The doctors' furious exchange, their words echoed in his ears. Leo took a tentative step forward, his heart pounding. "Dr. Naira?" he called softly.

Naira spun around his chair, his gaze pinning Leo to the spot. "You were eavesdropping?!"

Leo swallowed dryly. "I...I'm sorry. I wanted a drink, and you said before I didn't have to ask...I didn't hear much."

Dr. Naira nodded tightly, his eyes angry still. "I apologize. You should not have had to overhear all that. Take a seat; I'll get you some water."

Leo did so, his gaze landing on the book. "Wormholes..." he murmured.

Dr. Naira returned with a bottle of water for Leo and a cup of coffee for himself. "Yes," he nodded. "After you went to lie down, I had a thought. I'm looking into this now."

Leo opened his bottle of water and sipped from it, the cool liquid helping to calm him. "Aren't wormholes stuff outta science fiction stories?" he asked before gulping another mouthful of water.

Dr. Naira sipped his coffee. "In theory, they could exist," he said. "It's not been proven of course, but many scientists have dedicated years to researching the plausibility of it all."

Leo tapped the book with one hand. "Yeah, Einstein had this theory about them," he said. "I should've paid more attention in my physics classes," he added with a sigh.

"Have you ever heard the words traversable wormhole?" Dr. Naira flipped the book open and pointed to the chapter.

Leo scanned the first few lines. "Uh no, don't really remember."

"Basically, it means a wormhole that beings could travel through repeatedly without injury over a short period of time," Dr. Naira said.

Leo sat upright, his mouth opening. "You mean...like how I was able to keep jumpin' times?" he said.

Dr. Naira nodded. "Bear in mind that this is all in theory, Leo. But if this was true, it could explain how you've landed in an alternate version of your own planet."

"But...how is it that this world could be so much like my own?" Leo gestured to the room. "It looks identical! Even the monuments, I knew where I had landed; until I had apes running at me with guns!"

"I admit, much of our history has been lost over the years," Naira nodded. "Our earliest beginnings were kept under wraps from the later generations."

Leo groaned in frustration. "But...there has to be an explanation! How in the hell did Thade get here before me? He must've..." Leo trailed off, the realization settling in. "He...He must've activated Oberon...used the extra pods to leave. He came through the wormholes the way Pericles and I did!"

Dr. Naira stared at Leo as though he'd screamed. "Oberon, your space station?" he said.

Leo nodded rapidly. "I trapped him, I know I did. But Oberon, even after it crashed, it was run on nuclear fuel. The power would have been there still. If...If one of the other chimps let him out, he would've been able to use the technology to rebuild any pods that were damaged." He paused, wiping a hand over his mouth. "Jesus..."

"So..." Dr. Naira grabbed his pen and began writing. "You think he could have flown a pod and ended up going through the wormhole, time traveling?"

Leo got up and paced the length of the room, favoring his right leg as he did so. "He could've, sure he could've. He was a hominid chimp, smart and fuckin' evil. The pods were flown solo by the chimps originally. Most of the pods were on auto-pilot. And the training programs, they would've been in the Oberon's data history."

"And that he somehow managed to come forward in time and change Earth's history?" Dr. Naira continued.

"If this is Earth," Leo replied, his forehead furrowed. "This might just look like Earth, an alternate universe, parallel dimensions," he waved his hand. "Jesus..." he echoed, "I bet that's how he did it."

"Leo..."

Leo paced faster. "If he got here before me, sure, cause Pericles got to the planet after I did, and Oberon had been there for fuck knows how long by the time I found it again, then he could've landed before I did," he rambled.

"Leo!"

He glanced back at Naira, breathing rapidly. "Yeah?"

"Are you forgetting something?" Dr. Naira pointed to the book. "Wormholes exist in theory only. There's no proof of it, and the logistics...do you know what would happen if you were to try and travel through one?"

Leo blinked, confused. "But I'm right in front of you, obviously they aren't that dangerous."

"Leo, listen to me now, Boy," Dr. Naira said. "The ability to create a wormhole...that is way beyond our current technology. It would require the enlargement of one of the many submicroscopic quantum wormholes believed to exist within any volume of space. The process alone would require an intense, ultra-high frequency negative energy source and as of right now, that is something that we have no idea how to produce. Not to mention what would've happened to you if you had gone through a wormhole."

"Damn it Naira, would you just listen to me?!" Leo slapped both his hands down on the table. "I'm standing in fucking front of you! I'm in one goddamned piece. I'm living proof of everything you say can't be possible! I didn't just fall out of the sky, I came here through some sort of wormhole, ok? I know it seems crazy, and yeah I think I've gone around the bend too, but there has to be an explanation!"

Dr. Naira waited and then pointed to the hallway. "I want you to go sit in your room," he said patiently though his eyes gleamed with frustration. "I need some time to process all this."

Leo let out a growl of outrage. "How dare you? I'm not a fuckin' kid; I'm not some lap dog or an experiment that can be put down when you get bored!" He grabbed the mug from the table and whipped it across the room furiously, the cup shattering when it hit the wall. Streaks of dark brown trickled down the wall, the shards embedded in the paneling.

"Get to that room, now!" Dr. Naira shouted. "Or so help me, I will chain you to your wall!"

"Make me!" Leo dared him. "Fucking make me go!"

Naira was up from his chair in a flash, grabbing his arm. He yanked a needle from his lab coat and pulled the protective cap off. He jammed the needle in Leo's neck, a drop of blood appearing from the force, pushing the plunger down hard, the sedative flooding Leo's veins.

"You son of a bitch!" Leo kicked and fought him as he was dragged to his room.

Dr. Naira dragged him into the room, the sedative already kicking in. "Damn you, Leo, you left me no choice," he snapped. Leo struggled in his grasp, his eyes glazed.

Naira attached the collar and wrist cuffs easily, Leo's movements slowing. He attached the cuffs to the hook in one corner, making sure to keep Leo's arms from being stretched too far. Leo kicked and cursed at him, his chest hitching.

Naira stood back, breathing hard. "You need to cool down. I'll come back for you in a few hours," he said.

"Bastard..." Leo slurred as the room spun around him.

Dr. Naira sighed and left the room, guilt heavy in his eyes.

xx

Naira returned several hours later and unhooked Leo from the restraints. Leo blinked at him hazily, his lips moving silently. Naira leaned in closer, his large ear almost pressed to Leo's mouth.

"Calima..." Leo faintly whispered, his eyes rolling back in his head as he slipped into a heavy sleep.

Dr. Naira stared at him for a long moment before lifting Leo up and placing him on the bed. He undid the wrist restraints and the collar, draping the thin blanket over Leo gently.

"I'm sorry, Leo," he murmured, stroking Leo's forehead.

xx


	9. Chapter 9

Title: In Thade We Trust – Chapter 9

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

xx

Naira studied long into the night, Leo's whispered words echoing in his ears. He poured over his textbooks, researching with an almost frantic need to explain Leo's appearance, to explain how he could have survived a theoretical jump through a wormhole. He rubbed at his wrinkled forehead with his fingers, a weary look of exhaustion to his face.

With a sigh, Naira reached for another book as his door slid open, Ari slipping inside the room. "It's rather late for a visit, is it not?" he murmured, squinting while he skimmed the list of contents.

Ari sat in the chair across from him, her dark eyes studying Naira. "Put your glasses on," she replied.

He sniffed and turned one page slowly. "I don't need them for everyday reading."

Ari's lips twitched. "Don't be stubborn," she pointed to the glasses that were neatly folded on a short pile of books near the edge of the table. "Just put them on, your eyesight will thank you."

"My eyesight is the problem in the first place," Naira remarked dryly, though he reached for the glasses and slid them on his face. "What brings you to this end of the residences so late?"

Ari rested her chin in one palm. "You once would have enjoyed my visits without question," she said. "Have things changed so much?"

"You and I both know the answer to that question," he said, scribbling down jot notes in on his writing pad. "Things are best left as they are."

"Naira..."

He glanced at her. "Don't Ari...Leave things as they are, please?"

She made a soft sound in her throat. "I know things have not been easy in the past years, but I wanted you to know..."

"Know what?" he snapped. "That you and your team are determined to bring this research facility to the ground? That you've sabotaged countless experiments and freed humans and protested my efforts at every turn? You made your decision, Ari. Don't ask me for sympathy after all this."

Her eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "I never wanted you to be hurt by my efforts," she whispered.

"It's a shame then," Naira muttered bitterly. "You've done smashingly well. You, Ari, have single handedly slowed progress at this facility by several years."

After a few minutes of silence, Ari tilted her head to the side. "You saw my side once," she said.

"I was young and naïve," Naira put his pen down. "I need to get back to my research, Ari, if you wouldn't mind."

"You can't brush me off so easily," she said. "I know you believed in my cause before."

Naira leaned back in his chair and folded his fingers under his chin. "I believe that humans are meant for more than the lot that we have given them in life," he said slowly. "Though my beliefs are shared with you alone, I'm aware that I am being monitored. I can not and will not jeopardize my research because of your desire to turn our society on its head."

"If you could free Leo, would you?" Ari shot back.

"You know the answer to that," Naira said reproachfully. "Leo...is different. His case is different, Thade knows I'm doing my very best to help him."

"It seems to me that you're pursing what's best for yourself and the other slave drivers in this country," Ari narrowed her eyes at him.

"Choose your words wisely, Ari," Naira tapped one stack of books. "I want to help him, but if you knew just how complicated this...circus," he waved one hand emphatically, "has become, you would understand the risks involved."

"You're a bitter soul now," she said. "You care more for facts and statistics, more about what Leo can prove for you than you do about his well-being! This excuse for a life is killing him slowly. He is no animal and no animal should ever endure what they've done to him!"

Naira clenched his teeth. "I care for Leo's well being, do not doubt me, Ari. These tests have given us vaccines, cures to save our kind! That is what's important. The outdated tests have been stopped mainly, and we use the computer trials as often as possible. Most of us are not evil; you must stop looking at it as so!"

"We all have our parts to play," she said. "I act the role of the spirited protestor and you, the good, put-upon scientist who rebuffs her attempts to free the human. You sicken me," she spat.

"You made your choice!" he managed to say without screaming. "You made your decision and I made mine. My path is not yours, it never will be!"

Ari stood abruptly, her fingers curled with indignant fury. "More the pity then that you're blinded by your research," she said stiffly. "If you won't help Leo, then I will. Come hell or high water, I will free him."

Naira stood as well. "Do you really think I'll allow you to do that? You overestimate what advantages I've given you. Back off now, Ari before you make a very big error."

"This isn't right, Naira. I expected better of you, truly," she leaned forward.

"And if I just happen to leave the door open? Let Leo scamper off into the wilderness of a world that he doesn't know? Then what?" he demanded. "He would die in less than a week. The hunters would capture him and bring him back as a slave. It would be a miracle if he wasn't killed."

Ari sat back down, her eyes wide. "Naira...we must do something, we can't...we can't just keep him forever," she whispered thickly. "He is no pet."

Naira gestured to his wall, the spilt coffee wiped up, but the holes and shards' imprint still visible. "I assure you, Leo is no animal. He has quite the temper if you provoke him."

Ari covered her mouth with one hand, her long fingers shaking slightly. "What...what are you researching?" she looked down at the books piled high on the desk.

Naira sat down heavily. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said. "Do you want some coffee? I expect that I'll be up for some time yet."

"No, thank you," she murmured. "Please? Tell me."

Naira tented his fingers, gathering his thoughts. "Leo's arrival here was...unusual at best," he began. "I'm sure you're aware that the press refers to him as the human who fell from the sky. The media...they've made Leo sound like a fallen angel for Thade's sake, if that isn't the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard."

Ari nodded. "What do you believe?"

"Frankly, I don't know," he sighed. "Leo seems to believe that he came through a wormhole in space."

"A wormhole?" Ari whispered. "You...You're serious?"

"He believes that his space station was involved in some kind of electromagnetic storm and that both he and his training chimp, Pericles along with the station ended up pulled into the wormhole," Naira explained, giving her a brief outline.

"So...he thinks Thade changed something on Earth from what it should have been?" Ari asked when he'd finished speaking. She rubbed her fingers along her furry arms and tugged at her short sleeved shirt, chilled by the details of what she'd heard.

Naira nodded solemnly. "Leo believes so, yes. Whether or not this is even possible, I don't know. I know of the theories, I have the books and research but no actual proof aside from Leo's words."

"Evidently, we were the lab animals, and humans controlled the earth," Naira said softly and closed the book near him. "This world is his, only backwards, in his opinion."

"That...cannot be," Ari said, awed by the implications.

"Can't it?" Naira smoothed his palm over his head, "theoretically speaking, of course. What if this world, our Earth really is the Earth that Leo speaks of? He claims it was 2029 when he was aboard his space station. It's 2029 here."

Ari blinked slowly. "A parallel world to his, could that be?"

Naira nodded. "I have considered that, along with the wormhole belief. Everything I have on wormholes says the same, in which no being could travel through one without facing numerous risks."

"Such as...?"

"Incineration from high amounts of radiation," Naira ticked off on his fingers. "The threat of the body being ripped apart by gravitational tidal-like forces, or you could die of old age as you attempt to travel through it."

Ari closed her eyes and breathed out, the silence heavy between them. "And Leo truly believes that he was able to survive such a thing?"

Naira nodded. "If indeed, we were to entertain this belief that the wormhole existed, it could have the two worlds connected, that he has traveled between the worlds with no idea on how to return to his own and that our world is possibly very much the same as his or is his planet but with the dynamics greatly changed."

"It's so..." Ari waved one hand. "Overwhelming..."

Naira took his glasses off, rubbing at his eyes. "Indeed, this theory, this is what the physics scientists have been trying to understand for the better part of the last century," he said.

"Have you discussed this...theory with Leo?' Ari asked after a moment of thought.

"Yes, have you seen my wall?" Naira waved his arm in the general direction. "He re-decorated it for me."

Ari stared at the imbedded shards. "He did that?"

"Mhm, and then some," Naira murmured. "He was quite upset when I suggested that he go and calm down in his room after our discussion of his wormhole theory."

"Naira!"

"What?" he frowned, "I simply suggested that he go and calm down! He was very upset that I didn't immediately agree with him about his wormhole theory..."

"You cannot treat Leo like that," Ari chided him. "He is not a naughty child. If anything, I'm surprised that he hasn't lashed out at you previously."

"Well he was certainly behaving like a wayward young teen with a temper fit like that," Naira protested. "I cannot have him throwing things when he gets upset, I'll have to keep him in restraints, and I assured him that the restraints would only be used in extreme situations."

Ari shook her head. "And where is Leo now?"

Naira fiddled with his pen. "In a deep sleep," he said softly.

"Did you sedate him?!" Ari hissed. When Naira wouldn't meet her eyes, she stood up, huffing angrily. "Naira, how could you do that to him?"

"He left me no other choice when he lashed out like that!" Naira snapped. "Am I to allow him to go on a rampage every time we disagree? I should think not! I will not tolerate such behavior from a...a..." he faltered under Ari's fierce glare. "Stop that!"

"From what exactly, Naira?" Ari demanded.

"Stop giving me that look!" Naira grumbled.

"Leo's behavior is your responsibility," Ari said. "Thade, even dogs are treated better than the humans in this facility!"

"Ari, I've had more than enough of your scolding for one evening," Naira said as he stood once more.

"You're more upset that I'm telling you the truth!" Ari pointed to the wall. "This...display of anger is Leo's way of telling you when he's been pushed too far. You simply cannot treat him like a naughty child."

"What would you have me do?" Naira fumed. "If I can't punish him, what other options do I have left?"

Ari sighed in frustration. "Naira, for as brilliant as you are, you truly are thick headed," she rested her fingers on the table. "Talk to him. He communicates well with you. If you insist on this behavior, he will only withdraw more from you; I've seen it happen with the human slaves that my team and I rescued."

"Rescued, kidnapped, what's the difference, eh?" Naira muttered under his breath.

"Fine, liberated!" Ari waved her arm. "The point is that you must tread lightly."

"Thank you ever so much for your advice, Ari," Naira drawled. "Run along now, dear girl."

She scowled at him as she moved towards the door. Naira's tight smile faded as a thought occurred to him. "Ari?"

"Yes?" she rested her hand on the doorframe.

Naira hesitated a moment. "Does the word 'Calima' mean anything to you?"

Ari stared at him, recognition flickering in her eyes, a distant thought. "How do you know that word?" she near whispered.

"Leo," Naira said simply. "When I checked on him after a few hours to unhook his restraints," he said, ignoring the dirty look from Ari. "He was still in a drugged stupor. He was whispering 'Calima' over and over until he fell into a deep sleep."

Ari fidgeted with her hands. "Naira, you mustn't tell anyone that you heard that word," she implored him.

Naira studied her face, his eyes widening when the realization occurred. "You know of it, don't you? You know what Calima means."

Ari made a sound of distress and shook her head. "No, no not exactly," she said. "But the word, I read some of the files my father kept in his private cabinets and it was mentioned in one file."

Naira's lips curled into a smirk. "I see. Tell me, Ari, would you be able to lift the information for me?"

Ari shook her head silently. "No...Don't ask me that, Naira. I can't."

"You can, in fact, I know you can," Naira coaxed. "Come now, if Leo knows of the word, then surely this could be used in helping us piece the puzzle together."

"Don't you use my concern for Leo against me," Ari crossed her arms.

"Ari, I'm not asking for very much and I highly doubt the blissfully ignorant Senator will miss one file from a cabinet that likely has dust on it from the last time he concerned himself with such matters," Naira continued.

"Naira, you ask too much of me," Ari whispered, her gaze falling to the floor.

Naira crossed the distance to her slowly. He tilted her chin up, his eyes on hers. "Please?" he murmured. "For Leo's sake?"

Ari sighed and nodded after a long moment of inner debate. "I will."

"Thank you," Naira rubbed his forefinger along her cheekbone, the air thick with tension.

Ari pulled back and nodded, her fingers pushing the door panel, the sound of it opening startling them both. "I...I will bring you the files, Naira, as soon as possible," she said.

Naira dipped his head to the side. "Contact me by phone first, I'll let you know when to bring it down," he said.

Ari darted out of the room and hurried down the hallway. Naira watched her go, a pang of loss washing over him. He stepped back, letting the door slide shut. He walked past his table, past the books and down the hallway, hesitating in front of Leo's door.

The door slid open, the sound muffled. Leo lay on his side, his breaths even and quiet, the lines of stress and anger on his face faded away as he slept. Naira watched him sleep, his fingers tracing through the strands of hair that were slowly growing in thicker on Leo's head.

Leo sighed in his sleep and turned towards the comforting gesture. Naira closed his eyes and gentled his touch, the guilt over his actions nagging him still.

xx


	10. Chapter 10

Title: In Thade We Trust – Chapter 10

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

xx

Leo awoke in a foul mood the next morning, his limbs slow and sluggish to respond as he dragged himself from the bed. He rested his head to his knees, picking at the blue fabric of his sweatpants. The door opened and Naira stepped inside, a mug carefully cradled in his hands.

"Good morning," he said. "I'm willing to bet that you're in need of this." He set the mug down on the bedside table, unnecessarily straightening the edges of the table for something to do.

Leo turned his head to the side. "Get out," he said flatly.

"Leo, really now, I know you're upset with me," Naira started to say, his mouth pursed in disapproval.

"Upset?" Leo spat. "Upset? Fuckin' upset?!"

"Language, please, there's no need to be so caustic this early in the morning."

Leo laughed bitterly and buried his face in his arms. "No...No need at all. Get out, Naira; I can't handle you right now."

Dr. Naira sighed and rubbed his wrinkled forehead. "I'm trying to apologize, Leo," he said. "I know it was wrong of me to restrain you, but I felt you were over the line in your reaction."

"You don't have any idea what this like, you cold bastard," Leo muttered. "Just...leave me alone, damn it!"

"Leo, if you insist on acting like a child, then I'll have to punish you accordingly," Naira said. "Now drink this, it will help with the pain in your arms."

Leo hunched his shoulders. He didn't want anything. He wanted to scream, to rip the room apart, to break and sob like a frightened child and beg for something, anything but this life. "No..."

"I know you're feeling the aftereffects of the sedation," Naira said. He lifted the mug and pushed it closer to Leo. "Please...I'm worried about you."

Leo grabbed the mug, the liquid sloshing over the edge and splashing on his hand. "No need to fret, I'll perform for you," he snarled.

He gulped the warm mixture down, the taste of honey making his eyes water for a mere second. His grandmother, she'd always added a dash of honey to his medicine. Leo dropped the mug on the table and curled up, blinking fast.

Naira sighed. "Thank you," he said. "Would you like something to read? If you want, you can join me in the living quarters."

"No," Leo stared at the opposite wall. "Just leave me alone. Come get me when you need me for your 'tests'."

Naira lifted the mug and left the room silently. Leo closed his eyes as the lethargic feeling left his body, his mild headache clearing. He tugged at his thin blanket, willing his eyes to stop stinging.

xx

Naira's pen scratched along his notebook, the blue ink smudging along his paw as he jotted down a series of numbers and codes. His eyes darted from the computer printouts to the notebook before him.

"Traversable wormholes….traveling the mouth…light years to the future," he mumbled, his forehead wrinkled in deep concentration.

He scowled when his door opened. "This had better be important," he huffed.

Ari slid into his rooms, her short hair hanging in disarray about her face. She held a faded, dusty folder to her chest, her arms clutching it protectively. "Naira…I got it."

"I see that," he said. He stepped away from his desk. "You were supposed to call first. And why then do you look like the devil is after you?"

Ari shrugged and sighed, a guilty look to her face. "I might've tripped an alarm or two," she said. She held the folder out for him, her fingers shaking.

"Ari! You mean to tell me that…"

She nodded. "It seems my father was aware of the importance of those files," she said. "No, he doesn't realize that the folder is gone, I was able to bluff my way out of being caught this time."

Naira took the folder, grimacing at the dust that coated his fingertips. "Thade, Ari, these must've been locked up for some time," he wiped his fingers fussily with his hanker chief and set the folder down on his desk.

Ari sat on the chair by his desk, smoothing her hair back neatly. "It seems that he was more concerned by my sudden interest in the general files. I believe that he's afraid of what I might find in them."

Naira nodded and opened the folder, the dust particles making his nose twitch. He ran his thumb over the top page, the original ink old and somewhat illegible. "So this pertains to 'Calima'?"

Ari winced and pointed to the top sheet. "Yes," she murmured. "I found these files some time ago. I skimmed through them. It…Naira, please, you mustn't ever mention this to anyone else. Calima…"

Naira read through the papers quickly, his eyes widening as he did so. "Sacred grounds?!"

Ari's long fingers played with one of the pens on the desk. "Yes…"

Naira continued to read, his heart pounding harder. "Ari…This is…this is phenomenal! This…"

"Is what I was afraid of," Ari said in a small voice.

"Afraid? Ari, this is what we needed!" Naira stood up, a new light in his eyes. "Calima, scared grounds, forbidden grounds and Leo knows of them!"

Ari peered up at him. "How could he know about this?"

"I don't know," he said. "But this could help us to explain so much, explain how the worlds could be so alike."

"But…what does it mean?" she pressed, rubbing her finger over the pen. "And how could Leo possibly know the meaning of it."

Naira opened his mouth to speak, both of them started by Leo when he appeared in the doorway. Leo folded his arms over his chest. "I know more than you think," he said.

Naira set the folder down on the desk. "Leo, I didn't see you there. Are you feeling up to eating?" he asked.

Leo ignored him and walked over to the desk. He picked up a pen and wrote out three words. He underlined each one and pointed to the paper. "Calima," he said blankly.

**Ca**ution **Li**ve Ani**ma**ls, the paper read.

Naira stared at the paper and then at Leo. "It's…this is what it means?"

Leo nodded silently. Ari leaned forward, her breath caught in her throat. "Leo…Leo, where did you see this?"

Leo sighed and rubbed his hand along his head. "It wasn't here; it was wherever I landed when my ship came down."

"Landed?" Ari touched his lower arm, causing Leo to flinch back. "Oh…I'm sorry, please, Leo, I won't hurt you."

Leo nodded and sat down on Naira's chair. "I'm guessin' he told you everything already. I landed on that damned world. The sacred grounds were called Calima. It was the Oberon station when it crashed. It went through the wormhole and somehow got there way before me. The sign on it faded and that's what they read, what was left of the writing," he glanced at Naira and then away.

Ari tapped her fingers thoughtfully. "Naira…This may sound odd, but I think…I think Leo's right."

Naira turned and stared at her. "Ari, do you realize what you're saying?!"

"Just consider this," she said. "Leo is certain that this is his earth, his world, right?"

Leo nodded warily. "Yeah…that's right," he said.

"And he knows of something that our kind is never to have known about, yes?"

Naira pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes," he agreed. "But to imply…that our world…"

"If those sacred grounds were here, then Leo would be correct," Ari said.

Leo touched the file folder. "Is the site listed?" he asked.

Naira nodded. "I need to read further into this first to be sure."

"So…if we could find the lands, find proof of Leo's ship, then the world he landed on is ours…his…one in the same," Ari sat back in her chair.

"Ari, it's not so simple, it can't possibly be that simple," Naira said.

"I landed on the Lincoln Memorial," Leo spoke slowly, his voice uneven. He caught Ari's confused look and added, "Thade Memorial. I saw everything that was my world until the cops came at me, only they weren't humans. This…I don't know, I don't understand how it happened."

"Another dimension," Naira cut in. "One that mimics his world, one that exists in the same time as his own. This could be our world and his, just different versions."

"Or, you could just believe me for one fucking moment that wormholes exist and that Thade got here before me!" Leo snapped. "The site wouldn't be here cause that wasn't Earth! This is! This is Earth! Calima, the info on the site, the information that told Thade how to do all this, that damned chimp brought the info with him, ok?!"

"Leo!" Naira pointed at him. "I will not tolerate this behavior!"

Leo growled softly, his eyes narrowed in fury. "Just fuckin' shoot me up again, Doc," he stood, pushing the chair back hard. "Go on, drug me, fucking lock me up!"

Ari stepped between them, frightened despite her braveness. "Leo…Naira, please, this isn't helping anything!" she said sternly. She touched Leo's arm carefully, getting his attention. "You must calm down, Leo. We want to help you, I swear this. Your life, the life of every human, it means the world to me. We will help you."

"Bullshit," Leo muttered. He turned away and leaned against the wall, sliding down until he reached the ground. He rested his head to his knees, watching the two of them.

Naira sighed wearily. "I'm afraid now is not really a good time, Ari. I need to escort Leo to my testing rooms."

A look of fury flashed in Leo's eyes before fading away, a carefully crafted blank look on his face in place of it. Ari frowned and glanced at Leo. "Are you sure that's wise, Naira?" she asked quietly. "Leo does not seem to be in the right mood."

Naira stepped away from her. "His disposition doesn't matter during the testing," he said.

"Naira!" Ari's mouth hung open. "How can you say that?"

Leo stood up, his eyes on the floor. "Get it over with already," he said, holding his arms out.

Naira slipped the restraining cuffs on him, his mouth drawn in a tight frown. "I have no choice as of now. He needs to go down for a few hours. You may visit him then," he said.

Ari turned away, unable to watch Naira place the collar around Leo's neck. She covered her mouth with her fingers, sickened by the thought of it. "Take that off of him!"

"I can't," Naira shot back. "Don't ask that of me, you know better."

"Naira…Please, this is beyond cruel," Ari turned and faced him, a glossy sheen to her eyes. "He has the cuff restraints, he doesn't need a collar."

Leo dragged his gaze over to her. He smiled faintly at her. "Hey…don't cry, Ari," he said. "I'm fine, honest. It hardly hurts, it's just tight, and that's all."

Naira clipped the bolt in the collar. He rested his hand on Leo's head for a moment before stepping away from him. He gathered the file folder and tucked it into his filing cabinet. He locked it securely and placed the key into his pocket.

"Come Leo," he gestured to him. "Ari, I'll speak to you tonight."

She breathed out, calming herself. "Naira, this is not over, we have much to discuss."

Naira pressed the button on the panel beside the door. "I understand. Leo, now please, we're running late as it is."

Leo followed behind him, the look on Ari's face worrying him as he walked.

xx


	11. Chapter 11

Title: In Thade We Trust – Chapter 11

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

XX

Long after Leo had fallen asleep that night, exhausted from his tests, Naira sat at his desk, pouring over his research. His glasses sat on the table near his side, discarded as he scrutinized each section of the textbook. A muted knock on the door went ignored by him until Ari stepped into the room, another folder tucked under her arm.

"Naira, really, you're going to end up half blind. Put your glasses on," she chided him.

He grunted, marking his place in the book. "I have no time, Ari. Please, make this quick."

She crossed the room to him and placed the folder on the table. "That is what we were missing," she sat in the chair, tucking her legs up. "Leo was right."

Naira blinked at her. He opened the faded folder, scanning it quickly. "Calima was never here?!" he sat back in his chair, running a hand over his mouth. "It was never here...Leo, he knew that. That means..."

Ari nodded excitedly, her dark eyes gleaming. "That time travel is possible, that this Earth is his Earth. I found this file folder; it was hidden away under the top secret files. Naira, do you realize what this means?"

"That Thade traveled here as Leo said. That he left his own planet and came here. The Oberon, everything we know comes from this!"

She smirked. "I believe you might owe Leo an apology."

"I know you're dying to say you told me so," Naira read through the file, tracing each word. "Ari, this is simply incredible. Thade did it, he used the Oberon's training programs, and he traveled in one of the pods that were still attached to the back of the ship. He must have gone through the wormhole that Leo traveled in."

"Why didn't they come through at the same time? How could they have landed so far apart?"

Naira continued to read, his lips moving silently.

"Naira…Oh, for Thade's sake," she snapped, tapping the folder with one long finger. "Naira, I asked you a question."

"Sorry," he offered a sheepish smile. "What was the question?"

"If Leo went through the wormhole first, why did Thade end up on Earth before him?"

Naira set the folder down and rubbed his temples, a weariness in his face that startled Ari to see. "Wormholes, time travel itself is a tricky subject. We, up until this point, had no proof of them. It seems that mere seconds can make differences, what path Leo may have taken, what path Thade traveled on, all of those are factors. He claims that the Oberon landed on the planet before he did, and that Pericles landed after him, when Pericles was sent through the wormhole first."

"So, it's a toss up, where he'll land if he goes through one?" Ari tapped the various papers on the desk. "If he was to go through another, who's to say that he would land in his own version of Earth?"

"That would be the theory, yes," Naira nodded. They looked at each other, the silence in the room overwhelming.

"Naira…you must help me," she whispered. "You must. You see the truth now, you know that Leo's right. He needs to find a way back."

Naira looked away from her. "Why do you ask me for things I can't do?"

"You could, damn you, Naira," Ari leaned in closer, her eyes wide. "Please…for once, think about Leo, of what you know is the right thing to do. Think of me…of what we had once."

Naira swallowed once, his throat working over the lump that was rising. "That was a long time ago, things have changed, Ari. What we had…is not what we have now."

"And that's both of our faults," she murmured. "Leo can't stay here. His spirit is dying, can't you see that?"

"What would you have me do? I told you before, he can't be released. The hunters will find him within a day."

"If we could find where the wormhole opened?"

Naira snorted. "And with what would we use to get him into space? Do you have a flying car that I'm unaware of?"

"What if there was a portal on Earth, one that could do the same essentially as a wormhole?"

"Ari…"

She nodded. "Throwing logic aside, if such a thing as a wormhole can exist, then surely a time portal, a vortex, something has to exist as well."

"And the Loch Ness monster and the mermaids who lure apes to the seas to drown them," Naira drummed his fingers on the folder. He sighed. "Ari, that would be so…beyond difficult to arrange. To even begin looking for something like a time portal…"

"Until today, I never would have though that a human could fall from the sky from a wormhole," she smiled then. "And yet, here is the reason for our entire world, one chimp that changed everything."

"That chimp tried to kill me," Leo muttered from the hallway, one hand rubbing at his eyes.

Ari jumped a little in her seat. "Leo…I'm sorry. Did we wake you?"

"Nah," he cracked his back and walked over to the table. "I don't sleep too well here. All things considered."

Naira gestured to the nearby chair. "Have a seat. We've discovered something so very important."

Leo sat on the chair, glancing at the pair of them suspiciously. "What?"

"Ari was able to lift more files from her father. This file," he nodded to the folder. "That alone proves more than you know. Leo, I must apologize for not listening to you sooner."

Leo eyed him, one eyebrow arching up. "Uh huh, and just why is it that suddenly you believe eh, Doc?"

"The file is a document," Naira rushed over to it, his excitement growing. "Plans and references to the original space pod, and mentions of Calima, it all happened; Thade arrived here and liberated our kind."

"Liberate," Leo echoed. He laughed bitterly, the sound fading within seconds. "That's exactly how Thade woulda seen it. That's why his ancestors put his mug on the statue of Abraham fucking Lincoln."

Ari winced. "Leo..."

"Oh, don't give me that 'Leo' shit," he pushed at the folder. "You don't have one clue as to what Thade was really like. You believe whatever his ancestors wrote down. You know what it says on the temple plaque, right? You wanna hear what was supposed to be on it, before Thade changed everything?"

Naira picked up the folder. "We-"

Leo glared at him. "In this temple, as in the hearts of the _**people**_ for whom he saved the union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever in this temple."

"Leo, Thade saved all of our kind from, well from..." Ari sputtered, her arms folding across her chest defensively.

"From my kind?" Leo snorted. "Yeah, go on and say it. The Lincoln memorial was there as a tribute to him. He freed the slaves. Now that's a fucking hero."

"Humans had slaves?"

"Yeah, for a long, long time," Leo muttered. "Look, I get what he means to you guys, I understand, honest. But you have to try an' see it from where I came from. He hated humans, he came here, and God only knows how many he killed for his own amusement. This was my world, my Earth, and he destroyed it. Our history, our whole way of living...gone."

Ari cleared her throat; the silence in the room was choking them all. "Leo..."

Naira flipped through more pages, exhaling when he reached another section. The look of weary exhaustion on Leo's face was troubling to him. "They spoke about how he landed. A god from the heavens; it was back several hundred years ago. There's...there's no data before that. Even my textbooks, my history books, nothing is dated much before 1860."

"He probably landed then," Leo sat back in the chair, "And made it up as he went along. Anything he ever needed to know about Earth would have been in the Oberon's logs. We always had a feed of information like that. This...fuck, this is my fault! I never should have left him alive in the Oberon."

Naira shifted uncomfortably where he stood. "We can't possibly know that. Destiny has a way of asserting itself, after all."

"That I was meant to be a lab rat?" Leo stood up, shoving the chair back behind him. "No, no, I'll never accept that. I'm no fucking genius, but even I know that I'm not supposed to go out like this. I refuse to die in the hands of you 'scientists'." And with that, he left the room, striding angrily down the hallway.

"Naira..." Ari's fingers plucked nervously along her shirt. "What else is listed in the file?"

XX

Over several hours of intense study, Naira and Ari compiled all the available information that they had, and once completed, compared the notes with each other. Leo spent the better part of the hours in his room, reading through one of Naira's many books. He glared at the novel, disgusted by the fact that not a single one of his books held any positive references to humans.

"Bastard even changed the history of writing," he muttered under his breath.

Naira entered his room, the door slipping back rapidly. "Leo, Ari and I are going to look at the Thade Memorial. We'll be gone for several hours. Do help yourself to the portioned food in the fridge if you get hungry."

Leo nodded, glancing at him for a moment. "Why go to the memorial?"

"I have a few things I want to look over in person," Naira looked down at the novel in Leo's hands with a nod of approval. "The Grapes of Wrath, a fine choice."

Leo felt his lips curl into a hint of a smile. "Yeah..."

Naira touched his shoulder, noticing the minute flinch that followed. "We'll be back later today. Will you be alright in the meanwhile?"

"I'm not about to try an' escape if I have no clue how to get outta this building in the first place," Leo rolled his eyes and looked back to his book.

"Well, from what you told me of your daring escape from the bamboo cages, I wouldn't put it very far above you to try," Naira drawled. "Behave yourself." He left then, the door _swooshing_ behind him.

XX

Ari wandered up the many stairs to the memorial, her eyes darting back and forth. The scorch marks from Leo's landing were still etched into the stairs, long black smears that marred the otherwise flawlessly clean building. She crossed her arms loosely and followed Naira into the silent space.

"Ari," Naira jerked his head at her. "Stop daydreaming. We can't be gone for too long. And if anyone should see the two of us together..."

"Thade forbid," Ari sniffed and walked past him. She marched over to the statue and gave it a once over look. "It's strange, isn't it? His stories, they seem so, so unfathomable and yet, I find myself convinced that he speaks only the truth. How can that be?" her voice dropped to a whisper.

Naira pulled a small notebook from his overcoat pocket and flipped through the top pages. "I'm more intrigued by the fact that his story is slowly becoming less of a delusion, and more of a reality," he murmured. He read through the inscription that Leo had quoted. "It's so similar..."

Ari stood near the side of the statue, her eyes on the plaque behind it. "As in the hearts of apes, for whom he saved the planet, the memory of General Thade will be enshrined forever in this temple," she inhaled deeply. "Naira..."

"Hmm?" he flipped the notebook shut and joined her. "What is it?"

On the side of the statue, there were several marks, indentations and scratches. "Is this debris from his pod? Could the sections have scratched like this?" Ari rubbed a finger along one mark, the early morning sunshine lighting up the building.

"No, I don't believe so," Naira frowned. "Leo crashed further down; the odds aren't very high that the debris would have come into this section at that particular angle." He leaned in closer, studying the way each groove seemed to turn. "They almost look like...I don't believe it..."

"What?" Ari demanded.

Naira backed up, watching the sunshine creep over the statue. He flipped the notebook open once more and copied down the pattern he could see, one so light that it hardly seemed noticeable. "A pattern, an outline," he mumbled, sketching faster.

"A pattern of what, though?"

"I'm not certain, but I'd be willing to be it has to do with where and when Thade landed."

XX


	12. Chapter 12

Title: In Thade We Trust 12/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

XX

Leo paced for the better part of an hour, his anxiety growing with each passing minute. His discarded book sat on his bed, the spine cracked from the force of being flung to the floor. He glared at the book. "Bullshit," he muttered, pacing another length of his room.

"What's he gonna prove anyhow?" Leo folded his hands behind his head, fidgeting. "Nothing I don't already know. Shoulda listened to me an' saved himself the trip."

He sighed and leaned against the wall. The air ducts feeding into the room hummed in response to Leo's ramblings. He fisted one hand, slamming it against the wall. "Thade…"

The door swooshed open. Leo frowned. He hesitated near the doorway, the small hairs on the back of his neck prickling. There was a muted sound, almost like footsteps for a moment. "Paw steps," Leo snarked under his breath, his ears straining to hear anything else.

After a long moment, Leo edged out of the bedroom. Cautiously, he made his way along the corridor, eyes wide and wary. He peered around the corner at the end of the hall, into the living room. Naira's books sat on his desk, the papers scattered every which way.

He glanced at the filing cabinets. Each one had been yanked out, more files and papers spilling down to the carpet. Leo sucked in a startled breath, one of the chimps that stood nearby…the tall, thin one. Calder. He took a step back. Not Calder…The one who oversaw many of Leo's tests, the one who smiled so coldly when he screamed in pain.

Calder looked up abruptly from the file he was reading. "Ah, there you are," he closed the file and set it on top of the cabinet. "I was wondering when you'd come out for a look see."

Leo bit down on the inside of his cheek. Naira's warning to keep his speech to a minimum around the other scientists flashed in his head. He took another step back.

"That's not terribly polite, ignoring someone such as myself when they address you," Calder clucked his tongue and shook his head. "You, my dear boy, need some lessons in manners. I am your superior, and you…are the test subject. Isn't that right?"

Leo narrowed his eyes. He despised being spoken to like a disobedient child. Calder walked over to him, his long fingers playing the hems of his pockets. The right pocket bulged out from the movement.

"Now, come here. It's time for a new test."

"No," Leo hissed at him, furious.

Calder stared at him and then smiled. "I'm afraid, Leo…your time as Naira's little pet has come to an end," he drawled. "I have ever so many curiosities about you and your apparent ability to speak, now that's something I want to…explore."

Leo slipped back more, his heart beginning to slam against his rib cage. He stared at him, daring him to try. "Naira won't…"

"Naira is a fool," Calder sniffed. "His brilliance is hampered by his empathy. Scientists have no use for empathy."

"Don't you fuckin' touch me," Leo looked around, assessing the two large apes that stood guard by the front door. "He said no more tests; I ain't doing more tests for you."

"Leo," Calder chuckled, genuinely amused. "Why in the name of Thade, do you think that you have an option?"

With a speed that stunned him, Calder withdrew a hypodermic needle from his pocket. He flicked the cap off and slammed it down into Leo's upper arm. "Don't fight it, let the drugs do the trick," he crooned, triggering the plunger.

Leo dropped to his knees, gasping. The drugs swam through his veins, rushing deeper. His hand grabbed at the walls, struggling for something to hold onto. "No…No!"

Calder capped the needle and stood back, a calculating smirk firmly in place. "I'm afraid so, Leo. Naira will never do the right thing, so this is how it must be. You've been terribly interesting to work with, and I look forward to having you thoroughly dissected after the trial."

"Trial…" Leo dropped down to all fours, shuddering. He arched his back, gasping. Pain, unending pain singed each nerve.

"The trial that the high courts will send you to for what you're about to do," Calder stepped off to the side, nodding to the guards. "Step aside."

Leo growled, a rage flooding him. He lifted his head, growling louder. "When Naira comes back…he's gonna know," he pushed upwards, his nerves screaming in agony as he stood. "You…you were the lab animal once."

"Humans were never meant to rule, Leo," Calder smiled, and oh, how pleased he looked.

Leo staggered closer, lunging for him blindly. "You…Thade, you're like…like him."

Calder reached one hairy hand out, touching Leo's short hair. He tugged on Leo's ear, yanking him up higher. Leo cried out, blood trickling down his neck, the skin around his ear tearing.

Calder tugged him up higher. "You are not worthy to even speak his name," he hissed. "You're disgusting, an abomination, like the rest of your kind. You belong in captivity, bred for our amusement! Go on, _human_, do what your nature tells you."

Leo reared back and spat full in his face. Calder stumbled back, wiping at the spittle that ran down his cheek. Leo leaned against the wall, panting. He looked to the guards, to Calder and then back to the open doorway. He ran for the door, half expecting a horribly strong arm to yank him back in.

As he ran past the door, eyes wild and pupils blown out, Calder chuckled.

"Sir? Should we go after him?" the guard to the left shifted uncomfortably.

"No," Calder took a handkerchief out of his pocket and mopped at his face with one hand. "Let the fool see how far he can get."

XX

Naira was mumbling under his breath again, his glasses slipping down as he read over his notes. "Patterns, a set pattern, used to identify co-ordinates. Identification for a certain few to know of..."

"You don't suppose this is accidental or coincidence?" Ari traced one finger down the swirls in the marble, her nose nearly pressed to the statue. "Surely, it's...well, I suppose anything is possible, but Thade...this is beyond anything I expected. Naira, do you think Leo would be able to read this?"

"Unlikely, unless he's fluent in ancient style etchings," Naira glanced back at the statue. "Check the other side. Look for similar marks."

"Ancient?" Ari marveled. She slipped around the corner of the statue. "How could they be ancient? How long have they been here?"

Naira pushed at his glasses with one finger distractedly. "I'd imagine around the same time they put his memorial here. I mean, ancient as in similar to the etchings and monolith creations all around the other continents. Really, Ari, I expect more from one as educated as you."

She leveled a mild glare at him. "Stuff yourself and your pretentious brain." Ari eyed the marble. "Oh…oh, Naira, look!" she whispered. "There's more. How fascinating…"

"Are they the same as the first set?" he crossed over to where she stood.

"Very much so," Ari nodded. "When you say co-ordinates, what do you mean?"

"Do you remember your studies?" Naira asked with a hint of a smile. "This would have been a series of information, left behind for a reason. And that reason more than likely has to do with Leo and Thade. Come, we have much research to do. And I want to show these to Leo. Perhaps he does know something about these."

Ari smiled. "He's rubbed off on you, I do believe."

Naira closed his notebook and tucked it back into his pocket. "Sometimes I think that's not a bad thing at all."

XX

He ran. Through different corridors, down long hallways, past rooms that he vaguely remembered being in and it didn't seem far enough. Leo stumbled and pushed at the door that he slammed into, his fingers scrabbling frantically for the release.

"Out…out," he rasped. The door remained shut, a solid white obstacle.

"God…please, I don't wanna go like this…" Leo jammed his shoulder against the door, his heart pounding harder. He shuddered. The walls were running, bleeding, he was running and falling, falling past the door, stairs in front of him, pain, god he hurt all over.

Leo landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. He clenched his teeth, panting. He hurt but he was moving, he couldn't stop, not with the rush of pure adrenaline coursing through his veins. "Naira," he whispered, limping past another door.

He stopped short, the last of the day's sunshine illuminating the skyline before him. The fences ran along the perimeter of the building, tall leafy trees here and there. Leo glanced about, his teeth gritted. "Out…"

No guards…Leo hugged the brick wall, panting. A tall tree stood off to the side, the branches reaching high up, one closer to the fence. He ran, the grass reaching up to touch his hands, the sky above a brilliant spray of orange and red and yellow. Leo stumbled and tripped, sprawled at the base of the tree.

He gripped the bark, pulling himself up. And as he climbed, his muscles screamed, his body racked with shudders, his fingernails digging into the bark and splitting under the strain. Leo climbed, the wind on his face for the first time in so long, his eyes stinging with tears.

He didn't feel the hands grabbing at him, didn't feel the sharp press of guns in his back or the prick of a needle in his arm. Leo laughed and fell into the waiting arms below, the brush of soft fur on his sweat soaked skin more frightening than any test he'd faced.

Leo looked up at the sky and a tear slipped down his cheek.

XX

"…and the fact that the pattern was left there, Thade must have assumed that Leo might follow him here, that he might land here at some point," Ari whispered, her eyes alight with excitement. "Can you imagine what Thade must have been like? How much thought would have went into this? He must have known that Leo could get back to him."

Naira took his glasses off and folded them. "Possibly," he admitted, tucking the glasses in his coat pocket. "It's also possible that this was a precaution, a warning in case Leo did follow him. I do remember, my mythology classes mentioned something along these lines. Thade was…as Leo would say, a God for us, his idea of worship. He would have definitely put the idea of humans being the ultimate symbol of evil for us."

"But why, that's what has me confused," she entered the code, the door to Naira's room swishing open. "What reason would he have to go to those extremes?"

"What better punishment than to come back to Leo's home planet and change it all to reflect our culture?" Naira stepped inside his rooms, his voice fading away. "My God…"

Ari stared at him for a second. "Naira, have you…"

"Leo!" he shouted, rushing past the mess of his files and down the hallway. "Leo!"

Ari hung back, watching helplessly as Naira reached the empty bedroom, surrounded by the mess of his unit, the destruction of his files. "Naira…He's gone. He must have escaped."

"No, no he wouldn't have done that," Naira murmured. "Leo wouldn't run from me like this."

"On the contrary," Calder stepped into the unit, his arms crossed loosely behind his back. "He's a human. You simply can't trust humans to behave as we do."

Naira curled his lips back, furious. "Calder. I don't believe I requested your presence, though the sight of you makes me question exactly how much you have to do with the state of my rooms and the fact that Leo is missing."

Calder shrugged casually. "Leo is safe for the time being. You really ought to be more careful with your pets. He's quite untamed and therefore extremely dangerous, but I did warn you of that from the very beginning. Your stubborn attitude and levels of empathy are most unbecoming in a scientist of your standing."

"How dare you?" Ari hissed. "If you're responsible for this, so help me, I'll…"

"Run to your father? Yes, I anticipated that. Your father is appropriately horrified by your level of involvement with the _human_. I'm sorry to say that Leo is no longer under your care, either of you."

"What have you done with Leo? Address him by his name, he's not an object!" Naira strode over to Ari's side. "I warn you, Calder. I will not stand for this; I will have charges brought against you."

Calder smiled. "On what grounds? Your pet project attacked me, Naira. I did not attack him."

Naira gestured to his files. "Disruption of my studies," he said, "And willful destruction of my rooms and the endangerment of my test subject, all of which will be more than sufficient to keep you from these facilities."

"None of which are as damning as your precious _Leo_ being held on charges of attacking a superior," Calder whispered, his voice echoing in the room. "He'll face the courts and receive a punishment befitting his…nature. It will be most enjoyable to watch."

Ari gasped, covering her mouth with both hands. "No!"

Calder smirked and nodded. "Yes. Do make sure you're there for the trial. I'll even ensure front row seats."

"You're a heartless beast," she spat at him. "You disgust me."

"No, you, you of the bleeding heart liberals in this country; it is you who disgusts me! You stand in the way of progress, shrieking and demanding change when nothing will. You, who wastes money and time and disrupts our progress with your protests," Calder raged at her. "You are the reason that there are any humans left alive on the outskirts of our cities, you are the reason for their rampant overpopulation!"

Calder's words were halted by the vicious slap from Ari, his head snapping back at the force.

"Ari, that's enough!" Naira roared, yanking her back. "Stop before you end up on trial yourself."

"Naira…" Ari trembled with outraged fury, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears in the dim light.

Calder held one hand to his cheek. Naira stood before him, choosing each word carefully. "I will not accept this. I will stop you, and Leo will be returned to me. Is that unclear in any way?"

"You can try, Naira. You will fail, but please, do try."

Naira smiled thinly. "I intend to. Now remove yourself from my rooms. The sight of you leaves an awful taste in my mouth."

"As you wish," Calder nodded and left the room, the door swooshing shut.

Ari hitched in an unsteady breath, sniffling quietly. "Oh Naira…Leo, they have him…the trials…he'll be tortured."

Naira closed his eyes. "Don't. I'm aware of what…occurs. We will find a way to bring him back here, I promise you, Ari. I will bring him back here."

"I don't know if a life in capture would be better than death," she wiped at her eyes, letting the tears fall. "We're no better than they are."

Naira said nothing, choking on the silence of the room.

XX


	13. Chapter 13

Title: In Thade We Trust 13/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

XX

Senator Sandar tented his fingers under his chin, his gaze flicking to the clock on the left hand corner of his desk. "Ari, really, I don't have much longer until my next appointments. Surely, this can wait?"

"Father, have you heard a word I've spoken to you?" Ari slammed her hands down on the finely carved wood desk. "He's to be taken to the high courts! You know what will happen there, I know what will happen, and you…you're sitting there as though this isn't a big deal! How? How can you sit there and act like nothing is amiss?"

He sighed, closing his eyes. "Thade, give me strength…Ari, please. I'm simply swamped with appointments and hearings. Just this morning, I was informed of not one, but two calls for harsher punishments on the field workers. That is certainly more pressing than the fate of one human."

"One human...!" Ari reared back as though slapped. "Father, you can't be serious."

Sandar moved one hand up to massage his forehead. "He is one human, however special his case might be. I cannot interfere with the high courts."

"That has never stopped you in the past!" Ari spun away from the desk, disgusted.

He winced. "Your affection for these…humans, it's unbecoming. No suitor will take you seriously if you spend all your days protesting and fighting a pointless cause."

Ari rolled her eyes. "I could give a fig about suitors. I'm not interested in being married off to someone who will benefit you at the cost of my happiness. And don't change the subject. Leo is a human, yes, but he's so much like us, Father, I swear it."

Sandar frowned. "I think I was too hasty in letting you go off to that public school. You've become…human in your own way. It's not a trait to be desired. If Leo is put to death, so be it. It will be one less human for us to be concerned about!"

"No! I will not stand for this," Ari paced a length of the office, her hair swaying in her face. She shoved at the offending strands with great irritation. "Leo is not like the others. You know this; I know Naira shared the results with you. You've seen him in action, how can you deny that he is different?"

"He is human, no more, no less. And yes, perhaps he is more advanced, but these ridiculous stories I've heard about his origins," he waved one hand, "Utter rot. Fell from the sky. Like an angel or a messenger of Thade."

"He did fall from the sky! Leo is connected to Thade!"

Sandar sat upright. "Ari, I will not even entertain that idea."

Ari inhaled sharply and turned to glare at him. "Naira gave you his reports. Did you even bother to read them?"

"I perused them." Sandar sniffed and looked away.

"You mean you skimmed over them," Ari gave a bitter laugh. "I might have known."

"I'll not be scolded by the likes of you, my daughter," Sandar drummed his fingers on his desk blotter. "I am the one who authorized the testing on Leo. I allowed Naira to continue with his bizarre requests to test Leo in his rooms, an idea that was not as easy to approve as you might think. I answer to many people, Ari, I am not the infinite power and ruler of the governments and science world, like you might believe."

"If I believed those things, then perhaps, I'd have more faith in you, Father," Ari's voice shook with barely restrained fury. "Disown me, publicly refuse to support me, do whatever you must to help you sleep at night, but I will not be silenced, Senator. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a crusade to continue." The door swooshed shut behind her, echoing loudly.

Sandar sighed. "So very much like her mother..."

XX

"Are the rumors true then? That you were attacked by one of the humans?" the reporter shoved his microphone closer, his brown eyes impatient and eager to hear more.

Lights flashed, more cameras pushed towards the group proceeding up the stairs to the facility. Calder paused on the top step and looked back at the hordes behind him. He cleared his throat and shook his head.

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the details of the case at this time," his mouth curved upwards, an almost smirk, not quite smile. "However, some rumors have much truth to them."

The throng of reports surged forward again, their voices coming together in a wave of questions, more clicking and flashes from the many cameras.

"So, you're saying that the human who attacked was the same as the one that crashed at the Thade Memorial?"

Calder merely chuckled and turned away from the reporters. He turned to the large ape beside him and nodded, dismissing his protection. "Things happen as they should, I'm afraid," he drawled. Ignoring them, he strolled into the building, his eyes alight with amusement.

"Dr. Calder!" a young chimp ran after them, "Sir!"

Calder stopped again. "Yes, what is it now, Riva?" he snapped.

He panted, winded from his run, "The labs, Sir. Dr. Sorel needs your assistance. The human, he's..." he rested his palms on his upper thighs. "He's fighting the sedation."

"For the love of..." Calder stomped towards the rows of elevators that lined one wall. "I give simple instructions that even a first year assistant could understand, and those are too difficult to follow?"

Riva flinched. "I...I was, I did give him the sedation, he's fighting it, Sir. Sorel instructed me to find you. The human attacked each of the guards."

Calder hissed out a breath and stepped into the waiting elevator. He jabbed the button with one finger. "Beast," he muttered. "I'll have him dissected before the month is out."

"Sir...he looked right at me," Riva ventured after a moment of silence. "Before he attacked...He laughed at me, swore and then started screaming. Sir, we weren't told that he's capable of proper, multi sentence speech! This changes so much."

"It changes nothing!"

Riva swallowed hard. "Yes sir," he whispered.

The elevator opened on the tenth floor and Calder stormed down the white hallway, a faint scream echoing down to greet them. Calder gritted his teeth and swiped his security card over the white panel until the door swooshed open, the screams hitting them full force. Riva hesitated in the doorway, hiding behind Calder.

Leo was backed into a far corner, his eyes wild. He bared his teeth at one of the assistants, daring him to come closer. The assistant moved in, a hypodermic needle in his hand, poised to inject him.

"C'mon, you chickenshit!" Leo raged at him. "C'mon! Let's see you try!"

The assistant scowled at him and lunged forward, moving fast. Leo turned to the side, tripping the chimp and knocking him down. He shoved him to the tiled floor and jammed the needle in his arm.

"Yeah, nap time is right fucking now," Leo crooned, patting the assistant's head. He stood up and stared at Calder. "I ain't going down like this. Kill me, end this...now."

Calder pushed his fingers into his coat pocket and pressed down on a button attached to his swipe card. "Leo...you must realize that this is a foolish tactic," he walked over slowly, gauging Leo's responses closely. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be, boy."

Leo growled. "Don't you call me that! I want Naira; I ain't performing for any of you."

"Naira is no longer in charge of you," Calder picked up the shock control pad from the nearby table, weighing it in one hand for a moment. "You're under my custody until the high courts are ready for you."

Leo took a step back, his gaze landing on the control pad. He darted a quick look to Calder, the metal collar digging into the sensitive skin of his neck. Calder smiled, chuckling quietly.

"Yes...You've felt this before. Naira used it on you in the beginning. Leo, let me make you aware of something, something of terrible importance." Calder edged him further against the wall, the control pad looming over Leo.

"What will happen to you in the high courts, it's much worse than any test you've endured. Torture...yes, torture is your future. You will not escape these facilities, you will never know freedom again, and I alone have the power to let you die with some dignity before the real torture begins."

"I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life in a cage," Leo spat at him. "And when I get outta here, you're gonna be the first one I kill."

Calder smiled with no humor or amusement lingering now. "So you believe." He pressed his thumb down on the button, triggering the device.

Leo fell back, his hands clawing at his collar. He shuddered, the bolt running through him, liquid fire. He screamed and dropped to the ground, convulsing.

Riva turned away, a hand over his mouth. "Thade," he breathed, sick to his stomach.

Calder eased his thumb off the button and waited, listening to Leo's pained and panicked breaths. "Get up."

Leo curled into a ball, trembling. Calder pushed down on the button, upping the voltage. Leo cried out, convulsing harder. His hands clutched at nothing, his fingers flexing and curling. Calder eased the level down once more and stood back.

"I told you to get up, Leo. Defy me again and I'll leave you under that dose for much longer."

Leo sobbed harshly into the tiled floor, the pain agonizing. "I...I c-can't."

Calder snorted. "Please. I've seen you accomplish much more than that in the past. Get up, Leo. This is your last warning."

Leo curled his hands into fists and pushed upwards on all fours, trembling. Calder smiled and rested his hand on Leo's head, stroking his short hair. "There...that's a good boy, hm?"

"D-Don't you touch me," Leo rasped.

Calder dug his fingers into Leo's chin, yanking his head up to look at him. "What you want is not of any concern to me, boy. Stand up!"

Leo shuddered, gasping as he slowly stood up. He paled and staggered back to the tiled wall. Calder eyed him and sniffed. "Pathetic."

"Sir," Riva crept further into the room, "The cuffs or sedation?"

Calder held his hand out, "Needle, half dosage, medium strength cuffs."

Leo bit back a whimper. As if in a dream, he watched Riva pass a needle to Calder. He hardly felt the sting of the needle tip entering his skin and sighed when the pain eased, his body relaxing under the familiar sedatives. Cuffs were placed around his wrists, and Leo was led from the room.

Calder had Leo brought to one of the containment cells. Leo stopped short at the sight of the cell, shaking his head. "No...No cages, Calder..." he looked to him, pleading silently.

"Need I remind you of what happens when you refuse an order?"

"You don't hafta cage me," Leo whispered, stalling at the opening. "Naira trusted me..."

"Naira was a fool!" Calder advanced towards Leo, the control pad clutched in his fingers. "Get in the cage."

Leo cringed back from him, hateful tears in his eyes. He ducked his head and shuffled into the cage, his shoulders hunched. Calder slammed the door shut and snapped the lock on. Leo sat down in the corner of the metal cell, his knees pulled up to his chest.

"Don't give me a reason to punish you, Leo. Riva will be on guard until I need your services," Calder straightened up and pocketed the control pad. He nodded to Riva. "Do not leave him alone, do not let him out of the cage for any reason what so ever. Is that in any way unclear?"

Riva shook his head. "No sir."

"Good," Calder nodded to Riva. "Send an alert if the human gives you any troubles."

"Yes sir."

Calder gave Leo one last look and left the room, his white coat floating behind him on the slight draft. Riva blinked, startled by the sudden silence of the room. He sat on the chair by the desk, staring at Leo.

"You gonna stare all night long?" Leo asked after a long moment.

Riva blanched a bit and glanced back at the doorway, hesitating. Leo snorted, shifting inside the cage. He curled up more and rested his head to his arms. "I'm not gonna blow up. You can relax."

Riva sat forward on his chair, his eyes wide once more. "You really can talk?" he whispered, in awe. "I heard rumors...but Thade...it's amazing!"

Leo tilted his head to look at him. "Are you fucking serious?"

"Fucking...such a strange word," Riva mused. "And yes, I'm serious. I've never seen a human captive that could speak like you."

"Well then it's your lucky day," Leo drawled.

Riva scooted closer to the cage. "Did you truly fall from the sky? Are those rumors true?"

"I didn't fall, I crash landed. There's a difference."

"They said you were one of the human angels, the ones in the legends. The two races that fought over the earth humans and apes before Thade came and rescued us. He brought an end to the fighting and we triumphed," Riva recited, his excitement growing. "Are you one? There have been countless prophecies about the human angel that was sent to destroy Thade, but none have ever been proven."

Leo chuckled. "Unbelievable. You guys...you're all nuts. Thade was a monster, a brutal fucking monster. And here you are, worshipping his almighty ass."

Riva gaped at him. "Y-You...That's sacrilegious!" he sputtered.

"To you," Leo shifted down to his side, drowsing in the haze of sedation. "I don't worship an ape, so it ain't sacrilege for me."

Riva inhaled and glanced back at the door, checking for any sign of Calder. "Leo," he murmured. "Don't sleep yet. Please...I've waited so long for the chance to work with a human like you. Can you...can you do something that the others can't?"

"I don't do parlor tricks," Leo yawned. "Where's Naira? He's gonna be so damned pissed when he finds out I'm gone."

"Calder didn't say, but I know that he's being brought to the trial," Riva rocked in the chair, unable to sit still. "The judges need his testimony."

Leo nodded. "Oh..."

"You were allowed far too many freedoms, and his lack of control over you, well, that does not bode well for him."

"You don't know shit," Leo snapped at him. "Let's see you be caged an' tied up, an' tortured for someone's amusement!"

Riva shrugged. "That wouldn't happen. Humans are necessary for the use in developing vaccines and for testing of surgeries. Some of our greatest discoveries have come from human testing."

"Yeah? Well it happened where I come from!" Leo moved fast, pressing himself against the cage bars. "You would have been my fucking pet! My assistant in testing! You listen to me, you little shit, if the tables were turned, you'd be screaming for mercy!"

Riva yelped, jumping back from the side of the cage. He scrambled backwards, one furry hand clasped to his chest. "I...I..."

Leo bared his teeth at him. "You don't know the first thing about bein' caged, Riva," he hissed his name. "Back off an' leave me the hell alone, or I'll show you why the other docs are scared of me!"

"Y-You...Calder is right about your kind," Riva sat on the chair, breathing in quick gulps of air, "Vicious...Unstable."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Pussy," he muttered. He moved back to the corner of his cage, yanking at the wrist cuffs.

"Don't, your cuffs need to stay on." Riva smoothed his hand over his head, gathering himself.

"Didn't I just tell you to back off?"

"I don't take orders from humans!"

"Uh huh," he smirked. "But you take them from Calder, an' he's as bad as Thade, which makes him an' awful lot like me. Funny how that works."

"Calder is in charge of my learning program," Riva picked up a pen from the desk, tapping it nervously on the desk top blotter. "Of course I take orders."

Leo picked at the wrist cuffs, falling silent for a moment. "Riva," he said finally. "You can take the damn cuffs off me. I'm in a cage, I can't go anywhere."

Riva shook his head rapidly. "No...Oh no, I can't do that."

"Sure you could," Leo coaxed. "I'm locked up; you're safe here with me like this, right? I can't do anything if I'm in a cage."

Riva bit his lip. "No! No, it's...he told me not to..."

"Actually, Calder said I wasn't allowed out of the cage, he didn't say anything about me bein' cuffed, if I recall," Leo widened his eyes and smiled a little. He could see Riva wavering. "C'mon, seriously, what can I do, huh? In this cage, no real room to move. Still got my shock collar on, right?"

"I...I suppose," Riva took his keys out and approached the cage. "Leo, please don't force me to use the control pad. I...I don't want to have to shock you."

Leo nodded. "Scout's honor, just uncuff me, ok? It's damned uncomfortable in these things." He put his hands to the bars, shifting impatiently.

"What's a scout?" Riva crouched down and unlocked the first cuff.

Leo nearly sighed with relief when the first cuff dropped off his left wrist, "A kiddie group or something. I never was one."

Riva unlocked the second cuff, dropping the keys into his lab coat pocket. "Oh I see, and you wanted to be one...?" he trailed off, Leo's arms coming between the bars and grasping the fabric of his coat. "Leo! Oh Thade...Please don't!"

Leo leaned in, grinning widely. "You're really somethin', Riva. Now, be a good little monkey and open my cage," he said, moving one hand to Riva's wrist. "Don't scream, don't shout, just open it and I won't do anything to hurt you."

Riva gaped at him, his chest hitching. "Ah ah, no screaming," Leo whispered. "Open the cage, now."

"I...Leo, I can't," Riva choked out. "Calder..."

"Will never know you did it voluntarily. Tell them I overpowered you; just let me out, Riva. I don't wanna hurt you like this, but I'll have to."

Riva gasped, terrified. He scrambled to dig out the second set of keys and unlocked the padlock on the cage. The door swung open, clanging against the bars. Leo moved fast, out of the cage in seconds. He backed Riva up to the wall, looming over the smaller chimp.

"Thanks, Riva," he smiled. "Now, you're gonna help me out of this building, clear?"

"Are you insane?" Riva whispered. "You'll never make it out alive!"

"Oh I will, but first you're gonna send a message to Naira for me."

Riva reached for his pocket, fumbling with the keys. "Leo, I can't, I simply can't. I...I've done too much already."

Leo plucked the keys from Riva's shaking fingers. "Do it, don't think, don't stop, do it. Or..."

"Thade...Calder's going to have me drawn and quartered," Riva moaned. He reached for the phone on the desk, dialing as fast as he could manage.

Leo palmed the keys, keeping one eye on the doorway. Riva put the phone down a moment later, his eyes darting fearfully to the door. "Dr. Naira is on his way," he mumbled.

Leo nodded. "Good." He paced the length of the room, tugging at his metal collar. "Tell them I fainted or something. You went to check an' I overpowered you. Can you do that?"

"I...think so, yes," Riva crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh Thade, how angry they'll be. I never should have done this, I'll be lucky if I'm allowed to keep my job."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Leo stopped by the door and looked back at him. "All this, it's not your fault, y' know? But I can't do this; I can't lie down an' wait for them to kill me. I'm not an animal, and I'm not supposed to go down like this."

"Aren't you afraid? If they catch you..."

"They won't," Leo straightened his back at the sound of Naira's approaching footsteps. "'Bout time you got here," he said, poking his head out to see Naira jogging awkwardly over to him.

"None of that smart mouth attitude of yours, boy!" Naira snapped, despite the clear relief in his eyes. "Leo, I swear, you vex me so!"

Leo grinned and ducked back into the room. "Ah, you love me. I give you so much to learn, yeah? Now get me the hell outta here."

Naira swished the door shut behind him, panting a little. "Riva, listen to me," he commanded. "You must do exactly as I say. Forget what Dr. Calder has told you."

Riva bit back a whimper and nodded several times. "Yes sir."

"I already told him what to say," Leo tapped his bare foot on the floor. "Can we go? I need a head start."

"Wait ten minutes before contacting the guards. Put out a level two alarm at that time. Call Calder and inform him that the prisoner has escaped," Naira instructed, ignoring Leo's huff of annoyance. "Is that understood?"

Riva nodded again. "Yes sir."

"Ten minutes and then the alarm, not one minute sooner."

"Sir...if he doesn't make it..."

"No ifs," Naira said. He turned to Leo. "I'm sorry, Leo. I should not have left you unattended."

"Get me outta this building and we'll call it even."

Naira's lips quirked in an almost smile. "Stay behind me. We must leave immediately."

Riva watched as they left, his whole body shaking. "Please...Thade, show them the way," he mumbled, looking to the clock for the right moment.

XX


	14. Chapter 14

Title: In Thade We Trust 14/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

X

The alarms blared in the distance, shrill and sharp, cutting through the late afternoon air. Behind them, a series of bangs went off, each one louder than the last.

Leo ducked into an alcove, his eyes wide. "The hell is goin' on? It sounds like doomsday back there."

"The alarms, Riva triggered them," Naira tugged his glasses off and pocketed them in one of his many lab coat pockets. "The building is going into lockdown now, which means..."

"Which means I need to get out now," Leo finished, nodding. "Jesus...I hope you got a plan, cause honestly, Doc, I'm runnin' on instinct and not much else."

Naira peered around the corner, waving to him. "Hurry," he whispered, the two of them darting down the hallway. "Ari's waiting for us in the underground."

Leo frowned. "But...the building's going into lockdown, so how are we gonna slip out?"

"Do you trust me, Leo?" Naira grabbed his arm as they stopped in front of a steel gray door, his wiry fingers almost too strong on Leo's forearm.

He winced and nodded, "Yeah, as much as I can, yeah."

Naira dug in his inner pocket with his other hand and pulled out a small key. He unlocked the door, revealing a darkened staircase. "Then follow me and keep that mouth of yours shut. This building has escape routes. Not all were transferred onto the current maps. Stay with me, the stairs are fairly narrow."

Leo let out a small breath as he was dragged into the stairway, the door closing behind them. The blare of alarms rang around them, somewhat muted then. "So, humans built these then?" He trailed his hand along the wall, following Naira closely.

"What makes you say that?"

"The stairs are too narrow for you and your...uh, kind, it's kinda obvious that these weren't made by you guys." Leo squinted in the complete darkness, his heart pounding a nervous beat against his ribs, "Can't see shit."

"Right, one moment," Naira muttered. "I should have brought my illumination lights. Damn. I didn't think of that. Stay close, we'll be down soon enough."

Leo moved with Naira, blinded by the lack of light. He stumbled a few times, the sound of their footsteps echoing around them. Naira tugged him closer. "I have something that I need you to look over."

"Now's not the best time, with me bein' led through pitch black staircases."

Naira huffed out an irritated breath. "Obviously," he said. "Once we're out of the building, I'll show you them. I found these...symbols, patterns; I suppose you would call them, carved into the Thade Memorial."

"And?"

"And I believe, as Ari does, that you might be able to understand them. Our history is rich with legends and this...well it could be connected."

Leo groaned. "Spare me that whole 'Thade is the best thing since sliced bread' story, would you? That's all Riva was ramblin' about before you got there. He called me an angel, a human angel from the legends."

"Dear Thade...that's it!" Naira gasped and spun around, gripping Leo's arms tightly. "That could be how the patterns match!"

"Look, I know you wanna prove all this shit, but you're gonna have to accept that I'm not some angel or...or savior or whatever. I was just trying to find Pericles, that's all. I never wanted any of this!" Leo snapped and yanked his arms back. "Now all I want is to get the fuck outta here and preferably live without being someone's slave or experiment!"

Naira shook his head. "Calm yourself, Leo. Now let's go, I'll explain everything soon."

"Bullshit..." Leo muttered under his breath as he led down the stairs.

Naira wove them through the staircase, the ringing alarms growing more distant and quiet as they went. Leo shivered when the temperature abruptly plunged down, his breath puffing out in front of him, his bare feet numb from the cold.

"Shouldn't be much further," Naira felt along the wall, a thin beam of light appearing beneath them. "Ah, there we are..."

Leo crossed his arms over his chest, shivering harder. "How far down are we?"

"Several stories underground."

He made a face and nodded. Naira tapped his knuckles on the door before them, the thin strip of light widening as the door opened. Ari's face appeared in the doorway, her gaze darting about. "Naira?" she whispered, eyes wide.

"I've got him, are you ready to leave?" Naira grasped Leo's arm and pushed him closer to the door. "We must leave now before they set up the guards around the city."

Ari pulled the door back, ushering them along. "Yes, everything's ready. I packed as quickly as I could, and the files..."

"Tell me you have the files!" Naira hissed.

She bit her lip and nodded. "Some," she murmured. "I could only retrieve a few before the alarms sounded."

"For the love of..." Naira groaned and crossed the length of the room.

"I'm sorry, Calder's had me under guard since the day he..."

Leo grimaced. "That bastard, he had this planned from the get-go. If he's not related to Thade, I'll be damned surprised."

Ari rubbed her elbows, her worried glances growing more fretful. "We need to leave, Leo, hurry now, come with," she reached for him.

He tried not to flinch at the feel of her fingers, a flicker of banked fear in his eyes. "Go where? You guys got some place to stick me?"

She nodded. "I'll explain after," she lifted up a battered cloth sling and slipped it over her chest. "Come."

Leo hurried alongside them as they left the room and went through the next door. He stared up at the dirt tunnel. "Shit..." he whispered.

Naira looked back at him over his shoulder. "The tunnel leads beyond the gates of the facility, Leo."

He sighed and knelt down a bit, creeping into the earthen tunnel, vague thoughts of being buried alive seeping into his mind. "This is beyond weird...Tunnels under the city. Like an underground railroad for the slaves..." Leo shuddered at the thought that he was in no different state.

"All the major cities have tunnels," Naira said. "Ari, do you have any illumination light sticks with you?"

There was a whoosh of air and sound before a blue-white light flooded the tunnel. "Yes, I brought a few," she passed the lit one to Naira and took another from her bag, triggering the light switch on it. "There, much better."

Leo shielded his eyes from the lights. "What do you mean, under each city? Why would Thade even need them?"

"They were built long ago," Ari gestured to the walls as they crept through the tunnel. "We have no information on them, they pre-date our records. The legends say that the humans built them, but there's little proof of that."

"Kinda like Easter Island and Stonehenge," Leo's lips twitched with the hint of a smile.

Naira tripped in his steps and wheeled around to stare at Leo. "You know of Stonehenge?"

"Mhm," Leo nodded and crossed his arms over his chest, shivering in the cool air. "No one knows for sure how or why or anythin', but there they are. We had plenty of carvings, statues and shit like that, little proof but lots of theories and stories on them."

"Thade..." Ari whispered, fascinated. "It's all the same, it's all the same."

"Guess Thade couldn't change everything," Leo muttered. "So what's this pattern stuff you were on about?"

Ari rifled through her shoulder bag and pulled some of the sketches out. "Here, look these over please. Dr. Naira believes that they are connected to Thade, and to you."

"Really, Ari, they were on the Thade Memorial. The odds of it not having something to do with all of this would be rather low, now wouldn't they?"

"Oh stuff yourself," she snapped. "Go on, Leo, do your best."

Leo held up the papers to the blue-white light. "These…these are those lines, the Nazca lines," he said absently, tracing his finger over the sketch. "The lines in Peru, they looked like these."

Ari let out a soft gasp. "You know them then? You can read the lines?"

"Yeah, yeah, these were dated sometime between 200 and 600 BC," Leo hunched his shoulders and bit his lip, scanning the markings with greater detail. "They never said exactly what the markings were for, but everyone's got an opinion. Stuff like astronomical calendars, space travelers, and y' know?"

'That's fascinating," Naira nodded. "But why would those lines be etched onto the Thade Memorial?"

Leo shrugged. "Beats me," he said. He held up the papers. "I take it you guys don't know anythin' but Nazca lines?"

"I have," Naira held his light stick over Leo, peering at the designs. "It's terribly odd though. When I saw the patterns, I thought merely that they looked strange, but I didn't connect them to the designs in Peru until you mentioned it."

"What if….what if this is no coincidence?" Ari whispered. "What if this was deliberate?"

Leo looked to Naira, his chest hitching. "Then that means there's a reason for the markings. He had to have landed here, Naira, he had to have. I told you he changed my Earth, made it his Earth."

Naira took the papers from Leo's fingers and rolled them up with care. "I'm starting to believe that I've greatly mistaken your words, Leo."

X


	15. Chapter 15

Title: In Thade We Trust 15/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the  
animals.

XX

"Escaped? Escaped! Tell how in the name of Thade that the human managed to escape?"

Riva darted nervous looks to the enraged scientist before him, his throat clenched. "I...I, he, y-you see, Sir..."

Calder slammed his palm down on the table at his side. "Riva, I will throw you to the oceans if you do not stop this pathetic babbling and start answering me!"

"Y-Yes, Sir," Riva squeaked, trembling with fear. "Leo....he was f-fussing about in the cage..."

"Do not call it by that name!"

Riva lifted his head, frowning. "I...The human was agitated, so I-I approached him to give him a full dosage of sedation," he lied, his heart pounding painfully against his ribcage. "When I attempted to sedate him, he attacked me and stole the keys to the cage."

"Idiot," Calder spat and fisted his hand, slamming it once more on the desk. "So help you if we do not recover the human, Riva. The human is not to be trusted! He _cannot_ be allowed to escape the facility grounds."

He whipped around to face the guards behind him. "I want a full team sent out; every available member is to be on patrol. No excessive force is to be used, is this unclear? I need the damned fool human alive, he's not nearly as important dead as he is alive."

One gorilla shook his head. "No, Sir," he said. "I'll warn the others." He nodded to the other guards, leading them out.

Riva sucked in a breath. He couldn't recall the last time he'd been so infuriated. "Sir, Leo is by no means unintelligent."

Calder advanced towards him, his dark eyes glittering with anger. "He is a human, a dangerous, stupid, foolhardy one at that. You have developed an attachment to him in so short a time. You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"The only thing that shames me is how long I've assisted you!" Riva shouted, shoving his chair back forcefully. "And as for now, you'll require a new assistant. I quit!" He stormed past Calder, shaking all over.

"Throw your future away, Riva and I'll see that you never work in the medicals again, I swear it!"

"I'll take that chance," Riva muttered as he stepped out of the room, the sudden blare of alarms startling him. "Leo..." he whispered, "Thade, please..."

He turned and ran down the hallway, past several armed guards and other scientists that emerged from the rooms at the sound of the alarms, unnoticed in the uproar of confusion that followed. Riva darted through the throngs of chimps and workers, his small frame able to slip between the gaps easily. With a hiss, he slid his pass card through the slot, opening the door to a set of stairs.

Riva went up the stairs two at a time, panting. He reached the top stairs and swiped his card again, yanking the door open before it could slide all the way. A hum filled the air, above the alarms. Riva wiped the sweat from his brow with his arm. He stared up at the row of machines before him, fear curling in small tendrils through his stomach.

The door _swooshed_ shut behind him, closing him in with the machines, ones that he'd heard about, ones that everyone in the facility knew of. Riva bit his bottom lip and approached the first machine, looking the large metal box over carefully. Each machine controlled part of the floors, everything from the doors to the elevators to the fences.

Above each button or lever was a neatly written label for it. "First floor elevators, no," Riva murmured, scanning each selection, running one wiry finger along the panels for each until he came to the right one. **Fences**.

Riva hesitated, his finger hovering over the button. If he pressed, and the knowledge came up that it had been him...He let out a shaky breath and pressed the button before he could change his mind.

The light went out on the machines as the electricity drained away from the fences, the ones that surrounded the entire premises. Riva moved to the next machine, turning switches off as he went, turning the grids off in certain areas, ones that he prayed feverishly that Leo had headed towards.

He reached the last machine and paused, eyeing it. He frowned and stepped closer to the machine. The labels on it were yellowing with age, the script written on it barely legible. "What in the...." he whispered.

**Underground-Level 1 Grid.  
**  
Another was listed underneath that. **Underground-Level 1 Grate.**

Riva gasped. "Underground...Dr. Naira...he had to have known..." he traced the buttons and pressed each of the underground ones. He thought fleetingly of the rumors he'd heard as a young one, tunnels that ran underneath the city, connected by the slaves and shivered. Dr. Naira had taken Leo into the tunnels, he was certain of that.

Riva crossed his arms over his chest, hugging himself closely. He turned away from the machines, at once proud and terrified of what he'd done.

X

"...I've never considered how the Nazcan lines came to be," Naira stumbled a bit. "Oh my...watch your step," he called over his shoulder, Leo and Ari shuffling along behind him. "There are large gaps in the history books, whole sections of time that simply don't exist. Of course the debates are endless, but one consensus is that the writers were unsure of the history. Perhaps something was lost in the early translations."

"Or maybe Thade didn't know what the Nazcan lines were," Leo muttered under his breath. "They were created a long time before Thade ever got here, I can tell you that much."

Ari brushed strands of hair back from her face, flecks of dirt covering her fingers. She grimaced and wiped her hands along her sweater. "There's more than lines, there's drawings as well. Animals and birds and..."

"And a big Martian astronaut right?"

"Yes..."

Leo hunched over more. "I swear this tunnel is gettin' smaller by the minute," he grumbled. "The astronaut, yeah that one is kinda odd, don'tcha think? We're talking thousands of years ago. They didn't have the technology to look down from above, so how did they know what to make and how to make sure it was visible from high up, right? And why a spaceman?"

"I believe that they had a prophecy," Naira cut in. "The Nazcan's prophesized that beings would visit early ape kind."

"Looks like they should have added a chimp with a Napoleon complex to those lines..."

"Leo, really," Ari bit back a laugh, her shoulders shaking. "The things you say..."

"Guessing you don't know who Napoleon was," Leo stretched his arms out and brushed his fingertips along the top of the tunnel. "Did he get wiped from the books as well?"

Dr. Naira sighed. "Most human history was erased by the looks of it, Leo. I'm starting to think that Thade had the stories re-written with us in place of the original beings. He...I believe this was his revenge as you said."

"So...you're tellin' me that Thade went and had human history re-written with chimps?" Leo laughed wildly. "Fucking hell, that guy was something else. I bet he had an easy time taking over. No one would have had a damned clue on how to face a genetically mutated chimp."

"The history that is complete, it would have started from after he landed," Ari nodded.

"So 1860 or so then," Leo dropped his arms back down. "He got here just in time for the Civil War. And I bet any money, he interfered with that."

"The Civil War…?" Ari echoed. "What...do you mean the great battles over the humans and ape kind?"

Leo nodded. "You could say that."

Naira shook the illumination stick. "Damned things...We must hurry, we don't have much longer before they'll up the electric charges on the grids," he said, moving faster down the tunnel.

"Oh this keeps gettin' better."

"Leo hush, I know where I'm going. It shouldn't be too much further."

Ari touched a hand to Leo's shoulder urgently. "The war...the great battles, for you, what were they?"

"Mainly over slavery, you see, Abraham Lincoln didn't believe in slavery, he was opposed to it. When he was elected to office, some of the Southern states secessionists got awfully pissed and formed a new nation called the 'Confederate States of America'. They ended up going to war, both sides. Lasted for years," Leo squinted over Naira's side, the light from his stick waning far too much for his liking.

"And Thade had a hand in this?" Ari whispered excitedly.

Leo frowned. "He had to have. Otherwise it would be Abraham on the statue instead of Thade. I'm thinkin' he landed during one of the battles or something. Think about how guys from the 1860's would have reacted to see a pod land and a big chimp pop out with...with a ray gun or something."

"A...What?"

"Funny how you guys are on the same level as my world but there's stuff missing." Leo rubbed at his face, weary and cold. "For you it was battles, huh? He had it written that the Civil War was nothin' but a battle to free the apes."

"That's where the legends come into play," Naira said. "You, Leo, you were part of the prophecy, it's fascinating how it all connects, don't you think?"

"Oh yeah, completely, but hey while we're looking over all this _fascinating _shit, do you think we could focus on my somehow getting the hell off this planet?" Leo snapped.

Naira glared at him over his shoulder. "Enough Boy," he growled. "Now is not the time for that attitude of yours. And this is fascinating and terribly important. If you're connected to the prophecy, then the answers lie ahead of us."

"Right on," was Leo's deadpan response, "Lead the way, Doc."

"How much did Riva tell you about the legends?"

Leo sighed deeply. "You…Fine. He said there were two races that fought over the Earth humans and apes and that Thade showed up and saved the day for the apes. Apparently there was something about a human who would be sent to destroy Thade, but that never panned out."

"He must have been terribly concerned that your path would meet his someday," Ari nodded.

Naira paused in his tracks, his eyes suddenly wide. "Thade….Thade would have left markings, it would have been instructed by him to detail in case one of his own should need to flee Leo," he mumbled, distracted. "The statue, the markings were chiseled into the statue! His descendants, sworn to defeat Leo, should he ever make his way to this time, the markings would tell them where to go!"

Leo bumped into him and grunted. "…So, who chiseled them?"

"Someone close to him, someone he entrusted the knowledge of. Someone who would understand the Nazcan lines that they used. If I were to realign the designs…" Naira trailed off, whispering to himself.

Ari huffed and waved her hand in front of Naira. "Again…Good Thade, you're easily distracted."

Leo chuckled and pushed forward, one finger tugging at the collar around his neck. "Any chance we can get the shock collar offa me any time soon?"

"Hm? Oh, oh yes," Naira nodded. He reached to Leo's neck, undoing the clasp lock to it. He pocketed the collar absently and stared off into the darkness of the tunnel.

Leo rubbed his sore throat, wincing. "Damned thing… Alright, tell me what's goin' on with the lines."

Naira crouched down to the dirt ground and trailed one finger over the loose dirt. He sketched, drawing a series of lines with quick jerks of his finger. "If the lines were realigned to point from Peru to…I don't believe my own eyes," he whispered, awed.

Ari crouched as well, her breath catching. "They, they point to…here."

"What?" Leo clasped a hand to his throat, rubbing at the chafed skin. "What?"

"Washington, they point straight here if re-aligned, the runways point to…here," Naira clasped a hand over his mouth. He rubbed one finger along the lines he'd drawn. "You see how the line switches? They…they used the Nazcan lines, they must have, there's no…this cannot be a coincidence, Leo."

Ari exhaled sharply and stood up, holding her illumination stick over the lines. "How far do they point? Could they…the monument, past there?"

"I doubt it's exact in that matter, but if I say yes, I don't believe that I could be wrong on this," Naira looked away, his mouth clamped shut. He seemed to be wavering, shoulders tensed.

"Doc…You uh…hey, you ok?" Leo hesitated before leaning down and resting a tentative hand to Naira's shoulder.

Naira nodded. "Leo…I'm so very sorry," he murmured, swiping his hand through the dirt, erasing the lines. "I've…I've made many mistakes…"

"Aw, shit," Leo patted his shoulder awkwardly. "Don't do that, Doc. Just….just help me get outta here in one piece. Please?"

"Naira, please," Ari rested her fingers over Leo's, no flinch from him then. "We can still do this, we need to. And…I think we were all mistaken in certain ways. But right now we need to keep moving."

Naira nodded once. "Yes, give me a moment, would you?"

Ari stepped back and looked to Leo, excitement and fear gleaming in her eyes. "I believe I have an idea as to where the lines extend past the monument."

"Yeah…" Leo found his gaze wandering down to Naira, his throat tight with many emotions. "Yeah, I think I have an idea too.

XX


	16. Chapter 16

Title: In Thade We Trust 16/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters.

Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

XX

The three of them passed through the tunnels, darkened faces lit only by the fading gleam of the illumination sticks. Naira paused every so often, looking about, gathering his bearings before pressing onward. Finally, after hours it seemed, Naira stopped abruptly in one tunnel, his gaze lifted to the ceiling of it. "Do you hear that?" he whispered.

"I hear you," Leo said, shivering more in the chilled air.

Naira looked past Ari, frowning. "Echoes, I can hear them. Thade, we have less time than I hoped for. Hurry, the grid is a few feet away." He grasped Leo's arm and shoved him forwards, their footsteps muted by the packed dirt floor.

Leo panted, shaking his head. "Naira, Doc, you gotta give me a sec. My legs don't work so well when I'm this damned cold."

"Is there a chance that the grids can be weakened or disarmed?" Ari looked to Naira, biting her lower lip. "A shock to his system could easily become a larger problem..."

"I'm aware," Naira muttered through clenched teeth. He tugged Leo around a sudden bend in the tunnel and exhaled. "Thank you..." He stared up at the metal grid in front of them, the thick metal chains woven tightly together, stretched from wall of the tunnel to the other, from top to bottom. Naira tilted his head. "There's...What in the world...The grid is off!"

Ari looked to the grid and then to Naira once more. "How can that be? Calder would never allow the grids to go down if he's looking for Leo."

Leo crossed his arms over his chest and approached the metal. He leaned in, straining his ears. "Nothin', no hums, no buzzing...Yeah, I'd say they're down. Who would be stupid enough to lower them in a lockdown?"

Naira's mouth quirked in a slight smile. "I'd like to say Riva, but I'm not so certain of that." He held out his illumination stick and touched it to the metal, holding his breath. When nothing happened, he sighed. "There's one less thing to worry about."

"How do we get through it?" Leo paced the length of the grid, looking for something, anything. "You got a key in that magic coat, Doc?"

Naira rolled his eyes. "Someday I'll become accustomed to that mouth of yours. I fear that day won't come soon enough." He leaned in closer to the grid. "The keypad should be...there!" He pointed to the far corner, tucked down and barely visible. "Well, they weren't trying to be helpful by placing it there."

"You really gotta ask why?"

Naira ignored him and crouched down low, typing in six separate numbers. The grid made a series of clicking sounds and began opening, the metal chain slats pulling back to one side, creating a narrow walkway. Leo darted through, shifting from foot to foot restlessly.

"One moment, Leo," he slid the grid back into place and set the code once more. "Now down the tunnel, in twenty feet or less, there should be a fence and past that will lead us beyond the grounds of the facility."

"And beyond that…you guys got an actually plan or are we wingin' this?"

Ari smiled then. "I have my information for where to go and I've secured a car to drive us out there."

X

Far above the tunnels, a throng of reporters surged up to the steps to the building, each shoving their microphones and recorders near the chimps that stood before the large doors. Calder gritted his teeth, grinding them silently. "This is a fiasco," he hissed under his breath. "When I get my hands on Riva..."

Senator Sandar glanced at him. "Everything is under control now, Calder. The human won't get far," he murmured, forcing a smile for the reporters. "He's hardly smart enough to escape the facility."

One reporter stepped up, dodging the large ape in front of Calder and Sandar. "Senator, do you have any comments on the report of the escaped human?" he shouted, his microphone thrust far forward.

Sandar darted another look to Calder. He cleared his throat and smiled at the reporter. "I fear the reports have been greatly exaggerated, my dear boy. The human is still within our containment and is not running amok as the press would have you believe," he fake chuckled.

"Then perhaps you can explain why several sources have come forward with claims of having seen the human before the alarms sounded?"

Sandar waved one arm, snorting. "All rubbish. The human poses no risk to any citizen, and is, I repeat, under our control."

Another reporter pushed up beside the first. "Senator Sandar, the leaks to the media contained details of brutal testings on humans, as well as the human from the landing on the Thade memorial. Some have said that the testing facility is nothing more than a sadistic science experiment. What are your thoughts on that?"

Calder stepped up beside Sandar, glaring daggers at the reporters. "Now see here," he snapped. "This facility is first and foremost a building of science. We are committed to furthering the advancements of ape kind and to do so, experiments are conducted. I believe your sources are nothing more than fear-mongering, liberal human sympathisers, _**protestors**_," he spat the word, one long finger jabbing at the air between them. "Any reports from them are bound to be filled with half-truths and exaggerations, shrieked to those who will listen!"

A gasp ran through the crowd. Sandar groaned and covered his head with one palm. "Calder...Silence yourself," he whispered harshly.

"Then you admit that unnecessary testing is occurring within the facility?"

"Don't you twist my words, you half-wit!" Calder reared back, enraged. "I won't listen to a word of this nonsense!"

Sandar pushed his fingers in front of the reporter. "This interview is over." He grasped Calder's arm and dragged him back to the doors. "So help me, Calder, if you pull a stunt like that again," he rambled.

"Let go of me!" Calder yanked his arm back. "Everyone knows where you stand on the issue of humans, you and that daughter of yours. You ought to be ashamed. It's simply disgraceful to be associated with human protestors, and your very own daughter leads them! A conflict of interest, wouldn't you say?"

Sandar paused and narrowed his eyes at Calder. "Careful steps, boy. You wouldn't want to lose future funding now, would you?"

"How dare you threaten me?" Calder drew himself up and hitched in a breath. "If I were of gambling persuasion, I would bet my last coin that your daughter has aided in the human's escape! Like the others who were 'liberated' from our cages in the past. If I find her before you, Sandar, then you'd best prepare for the worst. She has caused enough difficulty for this life and many others."

"Are you threatening Ari's life?" Sandar stood in front of him, eyes dark with anger. "If so, then collect your belongings."

Calder glared at him. "What?"

"Collect your belongings. Your services at this facility are no longer needed. I will see you fired by day's end, Calder, I promise you that much," Sandar nodded to one of the apes. "Take him to his quarters and remove him from the building immediately," he said over Calder's furious sputtering.

He faced the crowd, ignoring the shouts behind him as Calder was dragged into the building. "As of this afternoon, the human from the memorial was released from his containment," he said, picking each word carefully.

The reporters surged once more, questions tumbling over each other. Sandar held up one hand, asking for silence. When they settled, he looked to the late afternoon sun and smiled thinly. He had no doubt Ari had helped in Leo's escape.

"The human is within our facility and will be returned within moments, I assure you. He has not breached the building. The public is safe; you can rest easy on that. We will be performing a full investigation on the practices of the testing departments. Good afternoon," he nodded and turned away, entering the building.

"Ari," he sighed, the doors closing behind him. "Where did I go wrong...?"

X

They walked on, the course of direction slowly leading upwards. Leo shivered again. "Is it just me or is it getting lighter up ahead?"

"Yes, it is, we're moving uphill in the tunnels. Our exit is not far from here." Naira flicked his illumination stick. The light flickered on and off, fading to a dull white blue. "Ari, you're certain that we can leave these tunnels safely?"

She held up her illumination stick near them. "Do you doubt me still, Naira? I'm wounded."

"Ari..." Naira pinched the space between his eyes. "I haven't the strength to debate you right now."

"Ok lovebirds, enough bickering, huh?"

"We are not...I, that is," Naira protested, huffing, "Leo, really."

Leo smirked a bit. "Uh huh…"

Ari pushed between them impatiently. "My contact arranged everything as per my requests. We don't have time to discuss this, every minute that we wait; Calder will be that much closer to Leo. We need to get out of here and over to the Thade Memorial as fast as possible." She grasped Leo's arm and propelled him forwards.

"The memorial, you sure that's a wise thing?" Leo stumbled over the cold earthen floor, his toes numb. "I mean, it'll be covered with security...right?"

"Crawling with them, in fact."

"Perfect," Leo muttered.

XX


	17. Chapter 17

Title: In Thade We Trust 17/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

XX

Calder pushed past the chimps crowding the hall, shoving at any who dared to pause near him. "Keep your paws off me!" he snarled, moving away from the security apes. "So help you all!"

"Senator said to escort you, that's what we'll do, Sir."

Calder sneered at him and stomped ahead of the pair. "The day where that ridiculous fool has gone too far is here at last." He swiped his card at his residence door, ignoring the footsteps behind him.

With hardly a glance, he stalked over to his desk and grabbed at the neatly stacked papers and folders, his shaking hands betraying him. He took in an unsteady breath, nearly dizzy with the force of his fury. That Sandar should dare to do this to him…to side with his disgusting daughter and…and the likes of that _human_…He wouldn't abide by it.

He swallowed over the sour lump in his throat. It was unacceptable. He swallowed again, taking another shallow breath. "Unacceptable," he whispered aloud. He wiped a hand over his mouth and smiled. He snuck a glance at the two guards, one finger curving under the edge of his desk.

The drawer to his left popped open, a metal shape coming into view as the drawer opened. Calder lifted the illumination stick, palming it, absorbing the weight and feel of it in his fingers. He smiled wider, hefting it up over his head and bringing it down over the head of the nearest guard, the element of surprise on his side.

"I will not allow you to outsmart me," he murmured, smiling as he pocketed the illumination stick. "No, that won't be allowed...Leo."

X

"There, right there," Naira nodded to the metal fence that they were fast approaching.

The metal was a faded, dull gray, the tight mesh links woven from one side of the tunnel to the other. Rust crept along the bottom of the fence. It creaked, groaning in the faint wind that drifted through the tunnel.

Leo looked over his shoulder. "Those footsteps, they're gettin' closer, Doc."

"I'm aware," Naira stepped up to the fence. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, eyeing the sides of the fence. "This is not protected, there's no alarm, no sensory even on it. That's peculiar."

"Is it possible no one was ever expected to make it this far?" Ari grasped the strap of her bag, fidgeting with the material. Their escape was taking far too long, she fretted, biting at her bottom lip.

Leo pushed at the fence with his shoulder, listening to it creak and groan under the weight. "Yeah, I'd sure say it wasn't likely for any humans to get into a tunnel like this and live long enough to pass by. It's not even locked. Jesus…"

Ari looked at him blankly and then at the fence. "If the three of us push hard enough…"

"Yeah, that oughta do it," Leo shoved at the fence with both hands, rattling it.

"Damn it, open up," he growled.

Naira rubbed his palms together briskly and shoved as well. The fence bowed more under the pressure and as Ari added her weight to it, the three of them pushing as hard as they could, the rusted hinges began to give. With a shout, Leo thrust his body into the fence, the hinges on one side snapping and popping out of joint. The fence fell forward with a short shriek, sagging to one side.

"That'll do it," Leo panted, grinning.

"There's something to be said for doing things the old fashioned way," Naira mused, flexing his sore fingers. "Though I shudder to think of the bacteria that's probably covering this entire fence."

"Worse things to worry about," Leo wiped his own grimy hands on the legs on his sweat pants. He nodded to Ari and grinned crookedly at her. "You're sure about your source?"

Ari nodded, smoothing her hands over the knees of her pants. "I have no fear that he will let us down, Leo. I've worked with him along with the others for many years."

"And proven himself to be dangerously risky in his attempts to rescue humans," Naira said under his breath. "He's a menace."

Ari sniffed and turned her head, dismissing his words. "Your capacity for jealousy after all this time is rather pathetic, Naira."

"His intentions were less than honourable," Naira hissed, glaring at her. "You encouraged him!"

"How dare you!" Ari reeled back, shooting him a nasty glare as well.

"Look, unless he's that prick Calder or…or…fucking Thade himself, I don't care who he did or didn't do, understood?" Leo pushed between them. "Where's the door leading out of here?"

Ari swallowed, her eyes gleaming with angry tears for a brief moment. "It's up around the next bend. He'll be outside with our vehicle. Come," she moved away from both, striding fast down the tunnel.

Leo rubbed a hand over his hair. "I recommend you don't piss her off again."

Naira pursed his lips, shaking his head. "She's far too strong willed and determined to not see this through. Go on, we must hurry.

"Y' know, sometimes it's better to think before you speak, eh, Doc?"

"Oh be quiet, Leo."

X

They might kill him, but then again, perhaps they'd let him live long enough to beg for mercy. Oh Thade, please…Riva felt his knees knock as he was marched down the hallway of the facility, accompanied by two absolutely enormous gorilla guards. He shuddered, each footstep bringing him closer to the last place he wanted to be.

He cringed. Well, truly the last place he'd want to be was before Calder, facing the wrath of the chimp that could have him murdered or worse with little effort. He took a shallow breath, fighting back his fear, Senator Sandar's office before him.

The door _swooshed_ open and Riva felt the ball of tension in his stomach tighten. The Senator sat at the large desk deep inside the room, his fingers tapping a steady beat on the fine wood. He nodded to the gorillas, dismissing them silently.

Riva stood in front of the desk, his fingers curling and twisting over each other at his sides. "Sir, I…"

"You needn't fear me, I am not Dr. Calder, nor will I ever be," Sandar smiled benignly at him.

"I…I…" Riva took a deep breath, the words caught in his throat. "Sir, I uncuffed Leo! Uh…the uh…human, that is."

Sandar nodded slowly. "That I am aware of, Riva. I assure you, I will not have you punished for your actions. In fact, I believe that if my daughter was here, you would be thanked."

Riva quirked his head, the knot of tension in his stomach unravelling a little, "…Thank you..?" he said cautiously.

"Ari has left the premises. Dr. Naira is with her. I have every reason to believe that they are with Leo right now. Riva, I need to know if you have any idea where they might be."

Riva stared at him, his mouth agape. "I…I have no idea…"

Sandar drummed his fingers more, seemingly calm still. "Riva, this is most serious. Ari's life is in danger, as is Naira's and Leo's."

"They are?" Riva whispered. "I, Sir, I understand that the human is dangerous,

b-but…he isn't armed, I doubt he poses a risk to our kind."

"He is in danger, immediate danger. There are far too many who fear Leo for what he is, for simply being a human that cannot be tamed as the ones we keep in this building." Sandar sat back in his chair and sighed, long and heavy. "I was one of those, a chimp with such power, such control, and yet…and yet my daughter is on the run with a human and her…well, with Dr. Naira. I fear that I will lose her."

Riva wet his lips nervously. "Sir, I believe that…if Ari was to flee, she wouldn't go out the doors."

Sandar smiled. "That is my belief as well. Ari is my child; my only and I will not see her fall at the hands of those like Calder. Riva, would you be so kind as to show me where she would have gone?"

X

Weak sunshine met the trio as they emerged from the tunnel, the last of the day's sunshine fading behind the trees in the distance. Leo looked back once at the tunnel door, watching it shut. He hunched his shoulders, fighting a shudder. He half expected to feel the arms of the guards, dragging him back into his own personal hell.

Ari took a few cautious steps forward and looked about. She nodded to Leo, eyes wide and wary. "No matter what happens, stay at my side, Leo. Koza will protect us."

Naira rolled his eyes behind Ari. "And get himself shot in the process."

"Koza stands for what I believe in. It's a pity you can't say the same, Naira!"

Naira merely took his glasses off and polished them with the corner of his long coat. "A pity or a spot of brilliance, it's a fine line, really."

"Well, well, Naira, it's been so very long since we last spoke. My, you have aged, haven't you? Too much time in the labs and not enough outdoors I think," Koza leaned against the nearest tree, smirking at them and shaking his head, his messy hair hanging in disarray around his shoulders. He was dressed in shabby clothes, looking every bit a human hippie, Leo noted, snickering silently.

"Not all of us can make our livings by blowing things up and inspiring anarchy," Naira spoke in clipped tones, replacing his glasses with a great air of dignity. "Let's dispense with the personal digs and focus on getting Leo to safety, shall we?"

Koza made a deep bow and nodded. "Of course..._Doctor_, Ari, I have our vehicle waiting. And you...ah, the human, Leo, was it?"

Leo eyed him. He knew a smartass when he saw one, chimp or human. "Yeah..."

"Pleased to meet the human that's caused such a stir. Now, let's get moving. We're bound to have some company in little more than a few minutes." Koza put his arm around Ari's shoulders, leaning his head in close to whisper to her as they walked, oblivious to the matching glares behind him.

X


	18. Chapter 18

Title: In Thade We Trust 18/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

X

Naira hurried Leo into the waiting vehicle, looking back over his shoulders every few seconds. "Quickly now, buckle yourself in," he gestured, stepping in behind him. The door slid shut and Leo shivered, wincing as the movements across the seats jarred his stiff and sore joints.

"I guess it's too much to ask for a pair of socks or something," he muttered, tugging the long belt over his shoulder, clicking it into place. To his amusement, the seatbelt style hadn't changed since he'd last been on Earth.

Ari twisted around in the front passenger seat. "Yes, Koza was kind enough to bring you something a little less, well, obvious. Your lab clothes will give you away in a large crowd."

"As if the fact that he's human will be less noticeable should he wear clothes made of hemp?" Naira snapped, "Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous..."

"There's no disguising what he is, but if we can help him look like less of a science slave, then maybe we'll get closer to the Thade Memorial, hm?" Koza chuckled and shook his head. "Those clothes you force on them are no better than serial bars or tattoos marking your property, that is, when it occurs to your kind to put some clothes on them!"

Naira rolled his eyes. "Oh for Thade's sake, it's not a stigma to wear fleece!"

Ari took a bag from the front seat and handed it to Leo, ignoring the bickering chimps. "Here Leo," she whispered. "I guessed at your measurements. Hopefully these will be comfortable enough."

"At this point, I'd take burlap on my feet," he said, digging through the bag and finding thick socks. He tugged those on immediately and sighed, warmth covering his chilled toes. He pulled the clothes out, changing as quickly as he could manage while Koza navigated the car away from the shrubbery and trees covering the tunnel exit.

Leo smoothed the top over his arms, the cloth just a touch too big for his body. "I look like a hippie," he snorted, choking on a laugh. "God, if they could see me now."

"A hippie…?"

"Fight the power," Leo grinned and slipped the battered long coat on. "Never mind, it's uh, something out of human history. And God knows I'm sure that the flower power stuff never happened once Thade changed everything."

Naira exchanged glances with Ari, both wearing expressions of bemused confusion.

"I see," Naira murmured, "A human rebellion then? Against whom?"

"The powers that be…the government, that kinda thing…" Leo finished dressing and sighed once more, wearing boots for the first time since his landing, "Protesting wars, establishment, and all that jazz."

Koza laughed. "That's fascinating. We have that in its own way. Chimps like Ari, like me, like...well Naira doesn't count, I suppose, but we are part of the anti-establishment. We believe in the rights to all sentient beings, humans included. Fortunate for you, isn't it?"

"You really got a way with words," Leo caught his gaze in the rear view mirror, giving him an unfriendly smile. "Don't ya?"

"I would think you'd be grateful for my efforts and those of Ari's. A little respect goes a long way, Leo."

"Yeah well courtesy and respect are two way streets." Leo crossed his arms, glaring out the window. He heard an intake of breath, a smothered laugh from Naira beside him.

Naira leaned forward. "Ari, pass me the folders, please? I want Leo to look at them in greater detail."

She pushed the folder between the seats, glaring at him. "What more can you hope to know when you spend all your time bickering with our only help?"

"I'll say nothing further as long as he can maintain the peace as well." Naira flipped the folder open and spread the pages out for Leo. "Here, these are the lines I jotted down from the statue. As we discussed, the lines readjusted point to beyond the monument and these lines were etched into the stone itself. Do you see anything different in this light?"

Leo squinted at the pages, frowning. "I wouldn't say they point beyond it, I'd say they point behind it."

"Behind the monument, though? What would be the point in that if they aren't directed at something specific?"

"Unless he intentionally did that to indicate the statue," Leo shrugged. "Obviously he wanted me to see this."

Ari rested her head to her palm, considering that, "What if he meant...under it?"

"Under it...?" Leo echoed. He glanced at the sketches again, the way the lines formed. "Makes me wonder who gave him the idea to use the lines, crafty fucker that he was."

"Could you...well..." Ari looked about, flustered. "I mean, in your experience with Thade, could you describe him?"

Leo snorted. "He looks like the one on the statue. He looks like Calder, kinda, only shorter with these nasty, angry eyes. He was all over the other version of, uh...yeah. He was determined to kill me, one way or the other."

"Other version?" Naira tapped the page with one finger.

"Nothin', it's nothing," Leo muttered.

"Leo, if you're withholding information that may aid us in helping you..."

"Trust me, you're better off not knowing, Doc." Leo pushed at the papers, flipping the top one over and tracing the curve of the line with his thumb. "They called him General Thade, so I guess he was their military go-to guy."

Ari leaned between the seats more, her eyes wide and eager. "When you say other, please, tell me what you mean?"

"I met another you, ok?"

Her mouth fell open. "What..."

Leo sighed. "The name's the same, the clothes, the way you sound, I thought it was you when you first stomped into the lab an' saw me there, but I was wrong."

"You knew my name, I wondered how," she clasped a hand to her mouth, stunned.

"Her name was Ari. She was the daughter of a Senator and one of those liberal bleeding hearts. She didn't like how the humans were treated on her planet either. She helped me escape along with other humans too," Leo trailed off and stared out the window. "She's you, just...another version of you."

"I must say, that sounds remarkably similar to Ari in this life," Naira rubbed his chin, "A mirror image even, and a liberal chimp that rescues humans. Fancy that."

"Pity that we should have so few of those," Koza snapped, bringing the car around a sharp corner. "Hold on tightly, we have company."

Leo whipped his head back at Koza's warning. A line of patrol cars flooded the road in the distance, the sirens wailing and flashing red and blue. He swallowed over the instinctive fear, his mouth dry. "You might wanna speed up there, bud."

Naira gripped the sides of his seat, his eyes shut as Koza darted around another corner and into a narrow alleyway. "Thade, but I hate car rides," he muttered, looking a touch queasy.

Ari hunched down in her seat, her fingers picking nervously at her bag. "Koza, do you know another way to the memorial?"

He nodded, pressing down harder on the gas pedal and sending the car forward with a jolt. "We can come up through one of the side roads. We'll need to leave the car before we reach the grounds, but if we go on foot, we'll risk the patrols."

"The patrols are already on us, we don't have much choice," Ari glanced out the rear window. "If we were on foot, they'd have us by now."

"Hold on to your seat, Leo!" Koza shouted, slamming his foot down on the gas pedal. The car shot forward, bursting through the alleyway. The car narrowly sideswiped another, the blare of the horn startling Ari. Naira groaned, holding his head in his lap as Koza manipulated the car, careening them around various corners, the wheels squealing under them.

Leo felt his stomach flop and leaned down as well, holding tightly to the seat. "The fun never ends," he said between clenched teeth.

X

Riva twisted his fingers anxiously in his lap, watching the swarms of guards exiting the building, Senator Sandar seated next to him in his luxury car. He twisted his fingers tighter, nearly squirming under the steady gaze of Sandar.

"Do you know of the old stories, the legends, Riva?" he asked finally, breaking the muffled silence inside the vehicle, "Of early ape kind?"

Riva rubbed his fingers and nodded. "Yes, my grandmother told me tales at night before bed, n-no matter what my mother said. She didn't like the stories…" He clamped his mouth shut abruptly and looked down at his hands. "That is...I, she...believes in things...she's not a _activist_ or anything like that," he mumbled a moment later.

"There's no law against being a human rights supporter, Thade knows that." Sandar exhaled a long breath and nodded to the driver at the front of the car. As the engine started, he smiled a weary smile and shook his head. "It's simply not a favourable thing in our society."

"Sir..." Riva hesitated and then surged forward with his question heedlessly. "Leo disagreed with the legends when I had him in his cag-, uh, his confinement. He scoffed and made claims about T-Thade, sacrilegious things. I was...Could you tell me what he meant? Surely Thade was no...Criminal."

Sandar simply shook his head, a sad wisdom to his face. "I'm afraid what we've been led to believe is nothing but falsehoods, Riva. It appears that what the human claims is true."

"That cannot be," Riva choked out in a horrified whisper. "It..."

"It is. There's a level of secrecy you cannot imagine revolving around Thade and Leo. Everything we know, everything we've taught and spoken of, every last thing is a lie."

Riva stared at the Senator, stunned into silence. "Calder knew...didn't he?"

"I believe so." Sandar folded his hands on his lap, seemingly shrunken in his regal clothes, a heavy weight on his shoulders. "Our only hope is to find Ari and Leo before Calder does."

Riva bit the inside of his cheek. "Sir, Leo said he, h-he crash landed on the memorial. Perhaps he went there?"

"The question is why," Sandar murmured. "Isn't it always the question?"

X

Deep inside the science facility, beyond the usual high security clearance, Calder swiped his pass card through the door lock. "Open or I'll re-wire you," he growled when the alarm beeped on the unit. He looked down both ends of the empty hallway and smashed his fist down on the security unit, cracking the plate around it. The alarm blared once, and then faded. He hit it again, sending the shards down to the tiled floor and kicked the door open.

The door smacked back against the wall, revealing the darkened room to Calder.

He smiled, wedging the door shut behind him. With just a few of the lights lit, he made his way deeper into the room, his heart pounding with excitement. In his rage towards Leo and Sandar, he'd taken a moment to stop and plan. And if he were to punish Leo appropriately...He tugged the sheet off of a long cage, laughing as he did so.

A culmination of years of work, a weapon at it's finest, a marvel of steel, a weapon that they had developed to be used in the army should the need for such a device ever occur. The cloth pooled on the ground, the frame of the machine glinting in the dim light, a great hulking piece of mechanical genius, all sharp edges and long ridges.

"The Menscheaffe," Calder whispered reverently. A proud smile curved his mouth.

He slipped the simple metal bar locking the cage and opened it, his heart beat racing. "You will get your chance to shine. And that _human_ will suffer, Thade, how he'll suffer..."

Calder hurried about in the room, securing what he needed. He smashed more containers open, pocketing the contents, files he couldn't bear to leave behind and the keypad to the Menscheaffe.

"I know precisely where you're going, my dear Leo," he laughed, climbing into the seating area of the giant walking machine, poised to destroy the building as he left. "Oh yes, I know..."

X


	19. Chapter 19

Title: In Thade We Trust 19/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the

characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be

needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

X

Koza drove along the darkened side road, keeping his speed at a neutral pace, one that left Leo silently grinding his teeth. He rubbed at his neck, chafed by the fabric of his borrowed clothes. In truth, his lab sweat suit had been of much softer material. He fingered the light marks on his neck left behind from having worn the collar for so many weeks.

"I hate to even ask, but how close are we?"

"We're close." Koza glanced at him in the rear view mirror. "I do hope you're prepared for what's to come."

Leo fought the urge to growl at the smug face of his rescuer. He curled his fingers on his lap and counted down from ten in his head. "Look pal, you don't have a clue about what I've already been through, ok? I think I'm more prepared than you ever will be."

Naira tucked the folders but for one in Ari's bag, shaking his head as he did so. "Leo's right. We're not exactly going into this with sure footing. All of this is based on what-if's and supposed possibilities. There's no way to predict what might happen when Leo comes in contact with the markings."

"So?"

"So that means you have a good fucking chance of dyin' tonight, Koza…Are you _prepared_ for that?" Leo mocked.

Ari glared over her shoulder at the pair of them. "Stop that, both of you."

Koza tapped his fingers on the wheel, his smirk somewhat deflated. "I'm aware of that fact."

"Did any of you guys ever think about what all this is gonna come to? I mean, helpin' me is death for you." Leo held Ari's gaze for a moment. "Can't avoid thinking about that forever."

"We can't go back now, Leo," she murmured, tucking a section of hair back behind her ear. "I think we all know that."

Naira shrugged his shoulder, bringing a sad smile to Ari's lips at the movement.

Leo had rubbed off on them in more than one way. "Then we'll end this knowing we did what was right."

"There, right there," Koza pointed out the window to where the Thade Memorial stood, beckoning to them in the distance.

Leo swallowed, his skin prickling at the very sight of it. He closed his eyes, feeling the crushing impact as he'd landed in his pod, the exhilaration of having finally made it back and the horror that had followed when he'd seen the waves of officers coming for him, all the non-human faces filled with hatred for him.

He shuddered, a cold sweat trickling down his back. "Hurry up."

X

A reporter stood on the lawn, her back to the building, her press badge hastily attached to her business jacket. She grasped her microphone with both hands, eyes wide as the camera rolled. "This is Lemo with Channel 3, reporting live from the grounds of the Institute for Advanced Research and Law, where an explosion rocked the building mere minutes ago."

"We've received numerous reports of a metal machine that crashed from the center of the building, smashing the inner and outer walls as it exited. There are reports of shots fired into the remains, triggering an intense fire. We've been unable to get a solid number on how many workers are still trapped inside. As of yet, only twenty workers have been accounted for, the first to emerge ahead of the flames."

A fire truck roared past her, the sirens blaring. The firefighters jumped down from the truck, racing through the procedures. Several of the chimps nearby screeched, jumping away from the gush of water that shot out of the hoses and into the fiery wreck.

Lemo took a breath, her eyes watering from the smoke and her voice shaking under the well practiced on-air veneer. "There have been unsubstantiated reports that the human, known for his crash landing on the Thade memorial, has escaped from the grounds. Officials have yet to confirm or deny this."

As the windows on the top floor of the building shattered from the intense heat, sending showers of shards raining down on the burnt grass and the firemen raced into the burning facility, Lemo stared into the camera, unable to hide the horror on her face. "We're standing by for further updates on the devastation here, at the remains of the Institute for Advanced Research and Law."

X

Riva and Sandar watched the Channel 3 report from inside his luxury car in disbelief as clips shot from cell phones were broadcasted, grainy images of a giant metal contraption burst through the building, bullets spraying from the arms of the machine, flames shooting high above the roof.

"Calder..." Riva tried to swallow, his throat dry-clicking. "Oh dear Thade..."

Sandar blinked, wiping his fingers over his thinning hair, his complexion pale.

"You're certain that this was Calder's doing?"

Riva nodded, "Y-Yes Sir, most definitely." He wet his lips, shaking a little as more images of the destruction filled the screen. "Several members of his team were working on top security level projects. Calder spoke...not in detail t-to...well to me, but I knew of those projects."

"And this...thing was one of them?"

Riva looked down and his lap and nodded. "Yes Sir. He called it the Menscheaffe."

Sandar listened to Lemo rattle off the initial reports with the tentative death counts. "What does it do?" he asked finally, his voice rough.

"It's a walking machine, in a manner of speaking," Riva swallowed over the sour lump in his throat. "It can move almost as fast as this car can, it's nearly twenty feet high, and it can open fire on any object..."

"And it can destroy a building in minutes…" Sandar whispered. "What have we done...?"

X

"Keep your head down, Leo. Oh, how I wish I'd thought to bring a hat, or a scarf for you," Ari fretted, hurrying Leo out of the somewhat secluded shrubbery that covered the car.

"Somehow I doubt that would help," Leo muttered. "I'm still a human, no matter how you dress me."

Naira followed closely in Leo's footsteps, smacking his fading illumination stick. "Yes, but a hat would have helped. Ari, watch ahead, the path is uneven."

Leo clenched his teeth, irritated by the slow approach. He moved ahead of Ari, all but jogging up the path that lead to the memorial. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he came to a stop behind the memorial. He looked about warily. "Shouldn't there be guards here?"

Koza nodded, panting as he caught up with him. "It's normally crawling with guards."

Leo narrowed his eyes. "I got a bad feelin' about all this. Why aren't they here?"

"Wait Leo, please, wait," Ari called, hurrying along as best she could.

"No! I'm tired of waiting! This is my life, Ari, ok? I've been stuck in this fucking mockery of my world for how long now and I'm done waiting! I'm getting outta here one way or the other." With that, he raced up the walkway, running to the front of the memorial and disappearing around the corner.

Naira glared at Koza. "If you're in on this with the government…"

Koza flinched at the accusation. "How dare you? You ridiculous hypocrite, that you would even dare suggest that!"

"Naira, that's absurd!" Ari gasped. "How could you even suggest that?"

"Do you even know him; I mean really know him well enough to say so for certain? Many a chimp's been tempted by money," Naira sneered.

"He asks to cover his own guilt over what he's done! Years and years of revolting testing, his experiments on humans, his threats to you, to all chimps who would do anything to have equality in this world!" Koza pointed at Naira, his upper lip curled back over his teeth.

"And yet…you still _care_ for him, don't you? You l_ove_ him!" he spit.

Ari sucked in a shaky breath, avoiding Naira's heavy stare as the ground trembled beneath them. "I…I…"

"What in the…" Naira whipped around, the tremors increasing. He looked to the distance, watching with horror as **something** lurched towards them at a frightening speed, dozens of cop cars, all with lights flashing, all trailing behind the huge piece of machinery. The ground shook and trembled as it advanced closer, the arms of it raising and pointing directly at the front of the memorial.

"Thade…" Naira choked out. "Leo!"

X


	20. Chapter 20

Title: In Thade We Trust 20 - Complete

Author: veiledndarkness

Warning: The usual disclaimer, not my property, just playing with the characters. Takes place shortly after the end of Planet of the Apes (2001).

Summary: In the darkest parts of the human mind lies the ability to be needlessly cruel and inhuman, a baser nature that separates us from the animals.

Dedicated to Caleb, who inspired me to continue this story, and who helped me remember why I started it in the first place.

X

They could try, Calder laughed manically, working the controls, his eyes wide and crazed. The cop cars chased after him, going as close as they dared to the long metal legs that crushed at the ground with each step. Calder laughed and laughed, guiding the machine down the main road. Helicopters flew nearby, shrieking sirens and lights flashing everywhere he looked.

"Let them try!" he shouted over the whirring, clicking sounds of his creation, "Leo…Where have you scampered to, my naughty little human?"

The Thade Memorial stood in the distance. Calder's face lit up. "Ah, yes…"

He flipped a switch and the metal legs began pumping faster, the ground shaking with his every movement. A patrol car darted under his steps, sirens blaring. "Oh dear," Calder chuckled. He released a clutch, the bottom of one leg crushing the car cleanly, as if it were nothing more than a piece of tinfoil.

He stared ahead, focusing on the memorial. Yes, without a doubt, Leo had made his way there. Ari...Calder snarled wordlessly, enraged. That meddling bitch! Interfering with everything he held dear, releasing humans, protesting the facility every step of the way, persuading Naira to see things differently…

As he approached, he hit more buttons, the arms of his machine lifting higher, ready to fire. "Now you'll die alongside him," he whispered, aiming just so at the building.

X

It was way too quiet in the memorial, Leo thought, listening to his footsteps echoing around him. And there…he stopped in front of the statue, fighting back the surge of anger that flooded him.

Thade loomed over him, his chiselled features arranged in a perpetual smirk, a sneer of victory on his face for all time. Leo's gaze fell to the plaque bearing the words, Lincoln's words, altered.

Leo inhaled sharply, a shriek of rage building under his skin. "How, you fucker?" he choked out, "How?"

The statue stared back at him, every bit as arrogant as the General that had chased him to the very end. Leo bit his lip nearly bloody as he circled the statue, keenly aware that something wasn't right. The markings caught his eyes and he traced one hand over them, his fingers shaking.

"Not over, not behind but under…Jesus fuck! Naira!" he yelled over his shoulder. "Hey Doc…"

The ground trembled, swaying under him. Leo gripped the statue, the trembling growing more violent by the second.

"Leo!"

He turned, seeing Naira approaching, absolute panic on his normally calm, blank face.

"Leo, move!"

"Huh?"

"Move!" Naira shouted, gesturing to him frantically. "Go!"

Leo let go of the statue, about to ask what the hell was going on when he heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire. A blast rocked the building, sending the pair of them scrambling to the ground. Leo crouched down, his hands over his ears.

"The fuck is goin' on?"

Naira shook his head, wincing each time the building shook. "We're under attack!" He moved to Leo's side and grabbed him, shoving him away from the statue as another blast smashed into the area. Leo grunted, slamming into the nearest pillar, the wind knocked out of him. Naira swayed with the motions and hurried to Leo's side, tugging at him.

"Stop that!" Leo yanked away from his grip, panting for air. "Who's attacking?"

"Calder!" Naira reached for him again. "Damn it, Leo, now's not the time to argue. We need to leave now before he levels the place!"

Leo shook his head. "No! No fucking way! The lines, Naira, they point to under the statue!"

"Leo…Naira?" Ari called, running full speed into the memorial, the ground moving up and down, bits of the ceiling tumbling down over them. She cried out, a chunk smacking into her, cutting her cheek as she ran.

"Ari!" Naira reached for her. "You…You fool! Calder's aiming right for us. Get out now while you still can!"

She clasped a hand to her cheek, blood trickling over her fingers. "Never!" she hissed, tears in her eyes.

Naira pulled her closer, grim panic settling in. "Where's Koza?"

"I don't know. I was…we were arguing and then you ran, Koza went the opposite way."

Another round of gunfire unloaded into the building, the walls and the pillars creaking ominously. Leo stumbled forward, watching as the machine came towards them, firing directly into the front stairs. "Holy shit…"

"Leo, get back!" Ari cried, her voice lost in the booming thunder of gunfire.

The machine stopped in front of the building, the front steps riddled with bullets, both arms raised. They lowered until they were pointing directly at Leo. Dozens of cop cars stood behind the machine, cops on loud speakers, demanding that Calder surrender at once. A speaker clicked on, overriding the noise below.

"Leo," Calder sounded deliriously happy, Leo thought, staring up at the contraption, for he had no other word for it.

"What an interesting test subject you turned out to be. It's a shame it came to this, but you…you are a very dangerous creature. And we must exterminate dangerous creatures when they refuse to be tamed."

Calder moved the right arm, clicking it into place. Leo swallowed, taking a step back. Nowhere to run…He looked from side to side at the officers and guards swarming at the base of the machine, attempting to disarm it, sweat running down his temples. He swallowed again and squared his shoulders, ready then.

"No, Leo!" Naira roared, running at him and dragging him back inside as the bullets flew, pinging the stairs and pillars once more. Several sprayed across the memorial, piercing the statue of Thade.

Ari shrieked, huddled down beside the statue, her hands clasped to her ears. Naira all but threw Leo over to the side with Ari, his body covering the pair of them from the onslaught. Leo's mind raced. He looked up at the markings, reconnecting them mentally. Another bullet whizzed past them, inches above his head.

He blinked, stunned and remembered the moment of realization before the world had exploded. "Naira, it's all under the ground, under the memorial!"

"What?"

Leo pointed down. "Thade's pod, the info, he put it under!" He moved away from Naira's grasp and smacked his hands off the elaborate tiles. "Under…!"

Ari gasped, understanding. "I knew it!"

"Ari!" Koza yelled, weaving his way to them, dodging the bullets. "We've gotta get out of here, this place is ready to collapse."

"Get down, you idiot!" Naira shouted back at him.

"Ari…" Koza froze, a bullet slamming into him. He opened his mouth, no noise escaping as the blood flowed down his chest. With one hand clasped to his wound, he dropped to the floor, eyes wide.

Ari let out a mournful howl and buried her face in Naira's neck, her shoulders shaking. Leo swore under his breath. He smacked at the ground again, wishing he could smash clean through. A deafening boom echoed through the memorial, followed by a shuddering of the statue above them, the lines of it cracking and splitting.

"Move it!" Leo yanked at Naira and Ari, the chunks of marble showering down on them.

A chunk crashed into Naira, startling a sharp cry of pain from him. Ari scooted along the floor with him in her arms, tears dripping down her cheeks. "Leo…" she whispered helplessly.

Leo grabbed a handful of her shirt, hauling her back as fast as he could while the statue of Thade collapsed. The hail of bullets ended abruptly, Calder's screams filling the air, metal shrieking and clanging together.

The metal device shuddered into view, smashing up the remaining stairs, taking hunks of the roof with it. It took one more step forward, Calder visible at the top of the machine, working at the controls. It jerked and then, almost in slow motion, fell forward.

Leo rolled at the last second, bringing the chimps with him, deafened by the crashing machine. The ground shook violently, the metal limbs crashing into the rest of the statue and the memorial. The glass plate covering Calder shattered, sending him flying past them. He landed in a crumpled heap a few feet away, his screams silenced by the awkward angle of his neck.

X

Riva raced up the pathway, fighting his way past the guards and officers that covered the grounds, mass chaos erupting as the Menscheaffe destroyed the memorial. Sandar followed behind him, calling Ari's name, his voice drowned out by the frightened cries around them.

"They're inside!" Riva shouted, pointing at the ruined staircase. "Go around the side!"

Sandar stumbled along, gasping in horror. The Menscheaffe crashed _into_ the memorial, an unending moment of noise and shrieking metal. He held Riva's arm, his mouth open as the machine fell forward.

"Ari…"

X

Naira gasped for breath, shaking all over. He sat up a bit and pointed to where the statue had once sat. "Look!"

Leo moved up on rubbery legs, his adrenaline pumping, panting for air. Through the heavy dust and debris in the air, he saw what Naira saw, a crater in the floor, an opening nearly covered by the mass of marble pieces.

He dropped to his knees beside the opening, his chest hitching. Deep within the hole was one of the Oberon pods, a fine layer of dust over it. His eyes watered and he let out a raw shout of triumph. "The pod…he kept the fucking pod!"

Ari pulled herself up, trembling hard. "Oh my…I can't even believe…" she trailed off, wiping sticky blood, dust and tears from her cheeks. She crawled to his side and stared down at the pod, her eyes round and wide. Her mouth fell open. "Leo…"

"Leo, hurry," Naira moved along slowly, a hand clasped to the small of his back where he'd been struck. "We don't have long now. Those soldiers outside…"

"Jump…"

Leo hefted several of the marble pieces out of the way, clawing at them with his hands, keenly aware of the lack of time. He threw the chunks to the side, panting fiercely. After a moment, he dropped down into the hole, landing on the compact ground beneath. He groaned, rolling onto his side. "Goddamn you, Thade," he muttered.

"Ari!" Sandar shouted, picking his way through the destroyed memorial. "Ari, for the love of Thade, answer me!"

She turned back, clinging to Naira. "Father…" she whispered.

"Ari!" he stumbled over the floor, nearly tripping over Calder's body. "Oh…"

Riva ran in alongside Sandar. He stooped short at the sight of Calder on the floor. "Calder…" He knelt down, pressing his hand to his neck, looking for a pulse. With a sigh, he closed Calder's unseeing eyes.

"Are you hurt, Ari?" Sandar stepped over Calder, ignoring him. "Naira, are you alright?"

"Father, look!" she pointed to the hole where Leo had gone.

Leo stood, staring at the pod. It looked exactly as it had when he'd last seen it. He laughed and the sound was a bit hysterical. "You son of a bitch!" he cried, kicking at a metal box that lay next to it.

"What the hell…"

"Here," Naira dropped his illumination stick down to Leo. "Hurry now…"

"I can't stall the guards much longer," Sandar fretted. "What…what is that?"

Leo shone the illumination stick on the box, frowning. "This is why you guys shoulda listened to me in the first place," he mumbled. He grabbed the box and pried it open. The lid creaked open and inside, a small disc gleamed in the weak light.

He picked it up gingerly, his breath catching again. "He left me a damned message."

Sandar looked over his shoulder nervously. "Leo…"

Leo opened the door of the pod and sat inside it. He held the stick over the display, clicking and pressing buttons from memory. "It's powered by nuclear fuel…should still play." He slipped the disc inside the reader and sat back anxiously, drenched in sweat.

Ari, Sandar and Riva gasped as an image of Thade flooded the screen, projected and reflected off the pod's glass shield. Naira inhaled sharply, almost unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The image grew sharper, a humming from the pod growing louder.

"Hello…_**human**_…"

Ari hung over the ledge of the clearing more, a hand clasped over her mouth. The chimps watched the image of Thade smirk onscreen, his cruel eyes gleaming with such hatred and malice.

"I imagine you're rather upset with me, right now." Thade nodded, smiling more. "You should have killed me when you had the chance, Leo. Leaving me alive in the Oberon, what a silly, _stupid_ human move. "

He waved one long finger at Leo, chuckling. "Such a foolish thing, really…Did you know that the Oberon had all its training programs in place? That the history of Earth, everything I ever needed was all there, thanks to you."

Leo growled at the screen, his teeth clenched. "Bastard…"

"Look around you, _Spaceman_! See for yourself as to your precious Earth or well…my Earth now. I've created a new world for you, though I doubt you'll enjoy it very much. You nearly destroyed my world, so I've taken yours. It wasn't hard, not really. When I fell from the sky, with a much better landing than what you accomplished, might I add, oh yes, the looks on their faces. Imagine, a chimp that was like no other, during the time of the Civil War, with a weapon out of nightmares? It was easy to re-write your history. History is written by the winners after all, and I always win, in the end."

"So…" Thade leaned back, practically beaming. "Do you get in the pod I left for you? Will you try again and again to find me, to stop me next time? That's the funny thing about space travel and worn holes. Who knows where you'll end up? We could do this forever. But before you do, remember this, Leo. If I took your world once, I could do it again." Thade laughed wildly, the image flickering on the screen. "And I will…"

Leo slammed his thumb to the eject button, listening to the roar of sirens outside, the footsteps coming. He looked up at the chimps, tears in his eyes. "He's right…God, he's right."

"No, Leo…"

He threw the disc to the ground and gave them a faint smile. "Can't stay here, Ari, you know that. If I stay, I'll die. I gotta try, I have to. One of these days I'm bound to get it right."

"Leo…" Ari wept openly, hurting for him. Naira kept his arm around her, blinking rapidly to keep his own tears at bay.

Leo nodded to them. "You guys risked everything for me. I won't forget that, I swear. You're like…you're like family." He laughed bitterly. "How sad is that?"

He looked up at Sandar and Riva. "Hold them off long enough for me?"

Sandar nodded, swallowing hard. "As long as I can…"

Leo sighed. "Ari…Naira…you guys," he trailed off, shaking his head.

Naira gestured to him, understanding everything Leo wasn't saying, everything he couldn't say. "Go, boy. Be safe."

Leo hesitated only a second longer before he sat completely in the pod, starting the engines up. He strapped his safety belts on and closed the side door. The pod shook, lifting up from the ground, the engine roaring. He held tight as the pod emerged from the clearing, knocking more debris back.

He rose higher, hovering over the chimps. Leo bit his lip, a tug of hurt in his chest for leaving the two who had risked their lives to try and save him, who'd cared for him when no one else had.

The pod went higher, rising up from the memorial, high above the grounds, above the helicopters circling, above the hundreds of onlookers below, above the many who'd doubt he ever existed, and into the cloudless night, the stars greeting him as he flew across the sky and disappeared from sight.

X


End file.
